Diary of a Half Human Time Lord
by cheri1
Summary: Hello, my name is Jonathon Smith and this is the story of my life after I was abandoned at Bad Wolf Bay. FINISHED.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

_Hello, my name is Jonathon Smith and this is the first entry in this diary. Normally, I'm rubbish at keeping a diary but this time I feel I have to do this. You see, I'm not what you call an ordinary human and I'm not an ordinary Time Lord. I'm neither and both at the same time. I was born to a man and a woman who are my parents and yet, at the same time, they're not. I'm barely less than a fortnight old, yet I have the body of a man in his late thirties. I have only begun to live and yet I have centuries of memories that aren't really mine and yet they are. I suppose what I'm on about is my life is extremely complicated. I'm here and yet I feel like I don't belong because I'm not quite sure what my purpose is. I was created to help the Doctor and Donna defeat the Daleks. To be the third person in the threefold man, but all that's over and done with and now I find myself asking what's next? In my short life, I've already been abandoned, first by the Doctor and now by Rose's family and now Rose as well, although she hasn't come out and said that to my face. She doesn't have to say it. Her tears say it perfectly. They're not tears for me, mind. They're tears for a man who left her behind and is never coming back, leaving her here alone with some mixed up thing that can't even begin to sort out what his place in the universe is. At the moment, I'm living in a small flat in London because I don't want to live in the mansion where Jackie Tyler can breathe down my neck nor do I want to bother Rose and upset her further because I resemble a man she can never have. So, with their help, I managed to find this place and find some secondhand furniture and settled in to become human, if I can. Torchwood has supplied me with the necessary human identification and they even offered me a job but I have no desire to work there where Rose will be forced to see me on a daily basis and be reminded of the Doctor. Nor do I want to work with Pete who is just as hostile towards me as Jackie is even though I haven't done anything to them. It's because they're angry that the "Doctor" has come back into their lives just when Rose has settled down and started a career. I am not the Doctor, I don't wanna be the Doctor, but because I resemble the Doctor, I get the blame for everything he's done on top of the Doctor's blame for everything I've done. I tried to save the universe and what do I get, kicked out on the beach with Rose and left behind with no TARDIS, no hope of escaping this human existence, and on top of that having the humiliation of being assigned a babysitter. That's the other reason I've avoided Rose. I don't need anyone to look after me and she's got enough to deal with without being my minder. _

_So here I sit in my new flat with my new identity while I possess the face of an old man. At the moment, Rose is supporting me every week with money from her paychecks and Pete is reluctantly paying for my flat until I can get on my feet which I hope is fairly soon because I don't wanna be a burden on Rose or Pete or anyone else. I just want to be left alone so I can try to suss out who I am and why I'm here._

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Jonathon stopped writing and took a swig of his beer. He was sitting at the kitchen table in his flat writing in his brand new diary. He took another swig while he looked over what he had written. Satisfied that he had written everything he had wanted to say, he closed the diary, set it aside, picked up his beer and went into his living room to watch a bit of TV. He set his beer down on the table beside the sofa, picked up the remote and flicked through the channels. He found a quiz show and left it there, mindlessly watching it while he drank his beer. While he watched, he heard the distant sound of thunder and glanced out the window to see the night sky briefly light up from a lightning flash. He watched for a few minutes, waiting for another flash of light and saw one about a minute after the first. He mentally calculated the distance of the storm before he turned his attention back to the quiz show. While he watched, the phone rang and he got up with his beer and walked over to the table beside his battered tan chair. He slumped down in it and answered it.

"Hello?" he said.

"Hi, Jonathan."

"Hi, Rose," Jonathan said, keeping his eyes on the TV.

"What's going on? Are you alright?"

"Yup, I'm perfectly fine," he lied.

There was a pause while he sipped his beer and waited for Rose to continue.

"Um…what are you doing?" she finally said.

"Watching some quiz show on the telly."

"Oh," Rose said.

There was another long pause. John sighed quietly. He hated this. He knew Rose was only calling as a formality, just to check up on him. He rolled his eyes. Probably out of a sense of duty towards the Doctor, after all, she was his babysitter, wasn't she?

"John…" Rose finally said.

"Jonathon, please, if you don't mind. John was his alias," Jonathan said.

"Yeah," Rose said softly. "Um…Jonathon. I was just thinkin'. Why don't you come over…and have dinner with us?"

"With who?" Jonathan said.

"Me…and mum and Tony."

"No thanks, I've already eaten but thanks for the offer," he said.

"Jonathon, she won't say anything. I won't let her."

"She doesn't like me, Rose, and I'm not going to upset her by coming in her house and eating her food," he said.

"Well…can I come over then?"

Jonathon glanced out the window when he heard another thunder boom.

"You better not, Rose. Storm's comin'," he said.

"Storms don't bother me," Rose replied. "I can bring some food for us and…"

"No offense but I'd rather be alone tonight. I'm tired and I just wanna be by myself," he said.

"Oh…okay, Jonathan. Well, you know, I'm here if you need some company. Just ring me if you want me to come over, yeah?"

"I will," he said.

Another thunder boom.

"I better get off the phone, Rose. The storm's getting closer now."

"Yeah. Have a good night then," Rose said.

"You too, Rose."

There was another pause.

"I love you," Rose said.

"Same here," Jonathan said in a dull voice.

"Jonathan, I really do mean that and…"

"Bye, Rose."

Another pause.

"Bye, Jonathan. Have a good night."

"You too," he said.

He hung up the phone and took another swig of beer while he went back to his place on the sofa.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

_A bright sunny day. I'm currently sitting in Hyde Park writing in my diary while I'm resting on a bench. I decided to bring this along with me when I'm out and about so I can jot down my thoughts and feelings whenever I wish. I just had the urge to do that while I was sitting here watching some kids run and play several meters from me. I didn't bother to call Rose back last night. I just watched some telly, drank my beer, had a shower and then went to bed. I really hated to do that to her. I do love Rose with all my heart but she'll never truly love me. She'll always look at me and see him and want me to be him and I'm not him. So it's best that we stay apart and carry on with our lives. Only problem is I'm not able to break away from her completely since she and her family are still supporting me. So I've decided to find a job. Although, I have no idea what an ex-traveling Time Lord half human clone could do for a living. But I'll think of something thought. All I want is for Rose to be free and not be stuck the rest of her life with an oddity, a man that has the face of her lost lover and all his memories besides that. That's the cruelest twist of all. All these memories of flying through time and space and here I am, Earthbound for the rest of my one short life, doomed to slowly age like a human until I finally die._

_I have to admit though, there's been several instances in the past couple of weeks where I've found myself wondering if I should just chuck it all in and end my suffering. My flat is on the fifth floor and when I look out from my balcony, I see the pavement and the car park, both surfaces hard enough to break my bones and neck the second I hit them. I'm not afraid to die. My other self fell off a radio telescope control tower so I know through his memories what it's like to fall from a high place. I admit it's morbid to think that way but that's how I feel at the moment. I just wish I'd never been born because it seems that from the first moment I drew breath, nothing I've done has been right._

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John closed the diary and put it inside his blue trouser pocket. He was thankful that the trousers had the extra dimensional pocket so he could carry it in there without losing it. The last thing he wanted was for someone to find it and read his thoughts. Groaning, he got up and stretched his back before heading out of the park. He figured he might as well go ahead and find a job of some kind so he could be independent of Rose and her family. He headed towards some shops as he tried to decide what he should do. He wasn't a supergenius anymore since Donna took most of his Time Lord mind but he still had enough of his intellect that he figured he could probably do almost anything. He put his hands in his pockets and casually glanced at the shops while he walked along the pavement. While he did that a few women looked his way and smiled. He smiled back and nodded his head at them before he turned his attention back to the shops.

Suddenly he stopped short when he noticed one shop had a help wanted sign in the front window. He glanced up at the sign above the window.

Jack's Pizza.

He looked at the help wanted sign, deciding whether or not he wanted to apply. He finally shrugged and figured that making pizzas wouldn't be that difficult. So he went inside and filled out an application. After he had done that, he made his way up the street and filled out a few more applications at a sporting goods store, a McDonalds, a frozen yogurt shop and a movie theater. Once he had done that, he decided to go back home for lunch.

On the way home, he slowed his pace, enjoying the pleasant summer breeze. The thunderstorm that had come through the previous night had cooled everything down and he felt his spirits lift as he strolled down the pavement.

As he passed by an alley, he heard a tiny mewing and stopped short. He came back to the alley, looked into it and noticed a tiny black and white kitten sitting on some rubbish mewing over and over in a tiny high-pitched voice. Jonathon's heart went out to it and he approached slowly, not wanting to scare it away.

"Hey," he said gently. "Where'd you come from, eh? Where's your mum?"

He reached out and gently grabbed the kitten. The kitten mewed and squirmed a little bit until Jonathon held it to his chest at which point the kitten quieted down and began to purr softly. Jonathon looked around but didn't see its mother or any other cat.

"I can't leave you here, you'll die," he said to the kitten. "Why don't you come home with me and keep a Time Lord clone company?"

The kitten purred as he stroked its back. His spirits lifted further when the kitten nestled up against his chest, closed its eyes and purred contentedly. Jonathan held it protectively while he headed back to his flat.

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When he got there, he put the kitten down on his sofa, grabbed a fluffy tan towel from the bathroom and formed it into a circle on the sofa, making a little bed. He checked the kitten's underside, found out it was a girl and then laid her down in the center of the little bed he made. The kitten kneaded the towel for a few minutes with her tiny paws before she lay down and went to sleep.

"Let's see, I gotta get you some food and some litter and some toys. I s'pose I'm going to be busy for the next few hours then," Jonathon said.

He used his index finger and stroked the kitten's side while she purred in her sleep. He sighed when he felt her ribs and shook his head.

"I guess we're both abandoned and lost, aren't we?" he said to her. "Don't worry though, you have a home with me now...hmm, what should I call you?"

He gazed at the sleeping cat. She was black with a white muzzle, belly and feet. He grinned when he stared at the white paws.

"S'pose I could call you Boots since it looks like you're wearing little booties," he said to her.

He smiled.

"Yup, definately, you look like a Boots," he said, stroking her fur.

He stroked her fur for about ten more minutes before he got up from the sofa.

"Well, better get ya some supplies so you can have food and a toilet," he said.

He stroked her fur.

"Don't go tearing up the place, you hear?" he said to her.

He grinned when the kitten continued to purr. He stared at her for a moment before turning and heading back out the door to get some pet supplies.

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It took a couple of hours for him to go to a pet shop via the bus and return home with three large bags filled with litter, food and toys. Once he came off the lift and made it back to his apartment, he set the little box up in the bathroom under his sink and put the food and water dishes in the kitchen next to his stove. Once he filled those up, he set the toys out nearby and then went to check his voicemail. He was pleased when he found out Jack's Pizza had called him back offering him a job. He rang them up and spoke with a man named Edward who told him to come in for work at 11 a.m. the next morning. Jonathan thanked him and hung up the phone, feeling extremely happy. He looked at Boots who was now wide awake and exploring the sofa.

"Imagine that, Boots, I'm gonna be makin' pizza for a livin'," he said to him. "It's not much money but it's enough to live on and put some aside and now I'm finally takin' the first steps towards true independence."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Jackie Tyler was chopping vegetables in her kitchen. It was a warm summer night and her daughter and husband were due home any minute. Tony was running around the kitchen, laughing and giggling which made her smile.

"What are you doin' down there?" Jackie asked Tony when he ran up to her legs.

"I'm a car!" Tony said.

"You are? Well, mind the roads so you don't have an accident!"

"Okay, mummy."

She chuckled when Tony took off again making little vroom sounds while he ran around. While she was chopping the vegetables, she heard the front door slam.

"Mum, I'm home!" Rose called out.

"In the kitchen, love!" she called back.

A moment later, Rose came into the kitchen and put her purse on the kitchen island. She grinned and leaned down to give her brother a hug when he ran up to her. When she finished, she walked over and stood beside Jackie.

"Dad home yet?"

"No, not yet," Jackie said, putting down her knife.

"What are you fixing?"

"This is gonna be a salad. We're havin' bangers and mash tonight," Jackie replied.

"Sounds good. I was gonna go round to Jonathon's flat and make sure he's alright. Then I'll come back and eat," Rose said.

Jackie sighed angrily.

"Rose, I really wish you wouldn't," she said.

"Mum, why are you against him?" Rose asked.

"Because he's a clone of the Doctor, that's why!"

"So? You ended up liking the Doctor so why can't you like Jonathan? I noticed you were the first one to inform him of Tony's existence when we stepped outside the TARDIS."

"Yes, I was being nice to him but I didn't realize the Doctor was gonna abandon him here with us. Rose, you've settled down and have a career now. The last thing you need is the Doctor in your life again. He's nothin' but trouble! Stay away from him!"

"He's all alone, Mum! He's depressed; I can tell that just from speaking to him over the phone. He's half human and he needs someone to teach him how to live like a normal person. I can't just forget him. He needs me!"

"Bloody Doctor, man's been nothin' but trouble. He had no right to shove that…thing off onto you and make you take care of it."

"He's not an It, Mum. He's a person! The Doctor left him here with me because he knew that Jonathon could love me and grow old with me. He's a gift, Mum, not a curse."

Jackie snorted. Rose sighed angrily and grabbed her purse.

"I'll be back, Mum, gotta check on him."

"You'll do nothing of the sort. You stay away from him, you hear me?" Jackie yelled while she rushed to get in front of her daughter. "Leave the man alone. He's got the Doctor's mind; he'll sort things out himself. Now come and help me with supper. I need you to look after your brother while I finish up. That's who you should be takin' care of, not the clone!"

Rose slammed her purse down.

"I hate you sometimes, Mum."

"Well, that's because I'm your mother and I have your best interests at heart. You don't need to go over there. You need to leave him alone so he'll find someone else and stay out of our lives. It's for the best, Rose. He's nothing but trouble, just like the man who made him."

Rose glared at her mother before she reached into her purse, pulled out her mobile and went into the living room. She flopped down on the sofa, opened up her phone and dialed Jonathon's number.

"Come on, Jonathon, pick up," she muttered when it kept on ringing.

She sighed when she reached his voicemail and heard her own voice. She had helped him set it up since he had no clue how to do it. When she heard the beep, she cleared her throat.

"Jonathon? Hi, this is Rose. If you're there, please call me back. I just want to know if you're alright, okay? I just want to talk to you. Please ring me as soon as you get this message. I love you."

She pushed the end button, folded up the phone and slumped back against the cushions while she stared blankly into space.

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Jonathon was in the shower when he heard the phone ringing but he was too busy enjoying the hot, steamy water and thinking about his new job to bother with it. He figured at this hour it was probably Rose and he really didn't feel like talking to her, not when he was in a good mood. He knew eventually he'd have to face her. She wouldn't stay away for long and on top of that, she had a key to his flat. Jonathon really hated that. When they first moved him in, she insisted on him giving her his spare key so she could check up on him. He knew it was a big mistake giving that to her because it encouraged her to pursue a relationship that was doomed to failure. But now that he had a job, Jonathon considered packing up when he had enough money saved up and moving somewhere secret so she would finally forget him and move on with her life. He hated doing that to her. He knew it would break her heart and it would break his too but it was for the best, for both their sakes. He couldn't be the man she wanted him to be and he wasn't going to spend the rest of his life living a lie, pretending to be the Doctor. He hated that he had his face and seriously considered altering it when he had enough money. A little bit of plastic surgery, just enough that he wasn't the Doctor's exact twin. He hated standing in front of the mirror and seeing the reflection of the man who accused him of genocide and condemned him to live a human life.

He finally finished with the shower, stepped out and dried himself off. He smiled when he heard Boots meowing and scratching the door.

"Be out in a minute," he called to her.

Once he finished drying off, he put on grey boxers and a white t-shirt before he walked back out to the living room. He checked the voice mail and shook his head as he hung up the phone.

"I'm fine, Rose. I'm always fine, quit worrying about me. You're not my babysitter despite what the Doctor told you," he muttered as he walked into his bedroom.

He grinned as Boots meowed and followed along behind him.

"Wanna sleep with me?" he asked her.

He pulled back the covers, sat down and picked Boots up. He set her down behind him and crawled into bed. He turned out the lights and lay there, staring up at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts. While he did that, he noticed Boots climbing up onto his chest and he reached out to stroke her. Boots came up below his chin and began to knead his chest. Jonathon grimaced at the feel of her sharp claws but tolerated it. He smiled and stroked his pet, staring at her tiny face.

"You know, you're probably the one true friend I have right now," he said to her. "You're the only one who loves me for me and not because I resemble someone else. I'm so glad I found you."

Boots finished kneading his chest and Jonathon thought she was gonna lay down but to his surprise, she turned and lay down with her butt directly in his face.

"Oi, I don't want your arse in my nose, ya little scamp!" he said to her.

Chuckling, he picked her up and gently turned her around.

"No arses in my face, yeah?" he said, wagging a finger at her.

He frowned when Boots turned and started walking towards his crotch.

"Hey, I didn't mean for you to leave, I just don't want to smell your cat farts all night and don't you dare use your claws on my John Thomas, you got that?"

Boots walked out onto his leg and lay down there. Jonathon smiled at her tenderly before he closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The next morning, Jonathon awoke and felt something warm and furry under his chin. He smiled when he realized that sometime during the night, Boots had come back up to his chin and curled up in a ball where she was now sleeping peacefully.

"Shame to wake you, little mate," he said aloud. "But I gotta get up, eat some breakfast and go be a productive member of society."

He gently grabbed her and picked her up. Boots meowed as he sat up and he held her to his chest and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm sorry, Boots, I would love to lie here all day with your warm fur under my chin but I have responsibilities now. But you can have the run of the flat while I'm gone."

He carried her into the kitchen and got a bit of food for her. While she was eating, he looked through his fridge and got out some eggs, bacon and milk. He wasn't a spectacular cook but he knew enough to get by and a half hour later, he was sitting at his small kitchen table eating his breakfast while Boots played with a tiny yellow foam ball. When he finished, he washed his dishes and put them in the strainer before going to the bathroom to get ready.

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At a quarter to eleven, Jonathon arrived at the pizza shop. He walked up to the lady behind the counter and told her who he was.

"Have a seat and Edward will be with you in a moment," she said.

Jonathon thanked her and sat down a nearby table. While he sat there, he noticed the metal door that led to the back opening and two women and two men peeking out at him. They laughed and stuck their heads back inside a moment before Edward came out. He was in his mid-twenties with short dark hair, a goatee and green eyes. He was tall and lanky and was wearing black trousers, a red shirt with Jack's Pizza stitched onto the left side and a red hat with Jack's Pizza on it. He was carrying a large manila folder filled with paperwork and an ink pen. He sat down across from Jonathon and put the folder and ink pen in front of him.

"Welcome, Jonathon, just need you to fill all this out and we'll start you out with Suzanne. She'll be training you today. I also need to get you a uniform. You'll have a hat and shirt like this one and you need to wear black trousers and black shoes starting tomorrow so do you have those?"

Jonathon nodded.

"Alright then, go ahead and fill these out and let me know when you're finished."

Jonathon nodded, picked up the pen and started to fill out the paperwork. He took out his wallet and pulled out his identification, using it while he worked. While he was doing that, he noticed someone sitting down in front of him and he looked up to see a young woman smiling at him. She was medium-height, thin with pale skin and a bright pink bandanna tied around her head. Her hat was on top of it which made the colors clash. Her bright hazel eyes sparkled as she gave him a big smile.

"Hi, I'm Suzanne; Edward said you'd be training with me today."

"That's right. I'm Jonathon."

"Nice to meet ya," she said, shaking his hand.

She noticed his eyes were drawn to the bandanna.

"I know it doesn't go with the outfit," she said. "I have breast cancer and I just went through chemo and lost most of my hair. I had the rest shaved off so I wear this bandanna to cover my huge, bald head."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Are you going to be alright?" he asked, concerned.

"Dunno, I still don't know if I've gone into remission. Here's hoping though," she said. "Anyway, thought I'd come out and introduce myself before you go back there. Just so you know, there's Richard, Claudia and George. George is gay and he's already told us he fancies you but he's a sweetheart. Miranda is working the cash register and Frank is our delivery guy. That's everyone besides Edward the manager. Nice to have you here with us."

"Good to be here."

Suzanne shook his hand and hurried back to work while Jonathon finished up his paperwork.

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After filling out all the paperwork, Edward took him into the back and paired him up with Suzanne. Jonathon put the hat on his head which made Suzanne giggle.

"Looks odd with your red shirt and blue trousers," she said to him. "Right, how to make pizzas…now we have an order for a large pepperoni so you just watch me while I show you how to make one."

Jonathon stood beside Suzanne and watched closely while she spread out the dough and spread tomato sauce on it. While he was doing that, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see the rest of the kitchen crew behind him.

"Hi there," a black man said with a slightly effeminate voice. "I'm George, nice to meet you."

"You too," Jonathan said, shaking his hand.

"Forgive me for saying this but you are well fit. You have a girlfriend hidden somewhere?"

Jonathon thought about that for a moment and then shook his head.

"Oh, what a shame, pretty thing like you," George teased. "That means I can have a go then."

Jonathon chuckled when he winked at him and gestured to the others behind him.

"This is Richard and Claudia. Frank's not back yet and you've met Miranda and Edward.

He shook hands with Richard and Claudia. Richard was in his late forties with ginger hair, green eyes and a chubby face. Claudia was in her late teens with long black hair, brown eyes and a heart shaped face with a dimpled chin. She wore granny glasses and her left eyebrow was pierced.

"Nice to meet you, Jonathon," she said. "We better get back to work. We just wanted to say hello."

"Nice to meet you all. I'm glad to be working here," Jonathon said.

"So are we," George said. "It gets pretty busy in here so just givin' ya a bit of a warnin' but everyone's one big, happy family so I think you'll fit in."

"Good, I hope so."

"Gotta go now, Pretty Boy. Don't let Suzanne boss ya around, she's a right bitch sometimes!" George said.

"Fuck you, George," Suzanne said, grinning.

George chuckled and punched her shoulder playfully before he and everyone else went back to work.

"So, where are you from?" Suzanne said as she grabbed the pepperoni.

"Hyde Park Estates," Jonathon said.

"Oh, I know where that is, it's not too far from here," Suzanne said, spreading the pepperoni around on top of the cheese. "I live about five miles away from here in Royal Oaks. I have a small flat but it's mine. I lived with me mum for the longest time before I could afford to move out. So, no significant others?"

"I have a kitten," Jonathon said.

She giggled.

"Man with a kitten, I like that. So now that we've finished, we go and put this in the oven, yeah?"

Jonathon nodded and followed her while she carried the finished pizza to the oven.

"So, you have any family?"

"Not really," Jonathon said. "I'm basically on my own."

"Except for the kitten," Suzanne said.

"Yeah, except for Boots, I'm all by myself."

"Boots, I like that, it's cute. I figured being a man you'd name it Killer or something like that."

"Nah, it's too sweet for a name like that."

He followed Suzanne back to the counter and she looked at the next order.

"Two meat lovers, right, follow me and I'll show you where all the ingredients are kept," she said.

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"Jonathon?" Rose said while she knocked on his door. "Are you in there? I have your money."

She waited a moment and when he didn't answer, she took his key out of her purse.

"Jonathon, I'm coming in. Don't be angry at me, I just want to talk and give you your money," she said.

She unlocked his door and opened it. She looked around but didn't see him anywhere. Sighing, she came inside and closed the door.

"Jonathon?" she yelled as she went over and laid the envelope containing the money on the table beside the sofa. "Jonathon, are you here? Please talk to me."

She made her way back to the bedroom and gasped when she ran into Boots.

"Well hello, puss cat, you must be new here," she said, bending down to pick her up. "Aw, you're so cute."

She held Boots close to her while she petted her head.

"You're a cutie, you are. Where's your owner at?" she said softly.

She walked through the flat with Boots but couldn't find him. She sighed and looked down at Boots who was purring quietly with her eyes closed.

"Wish you could tell him I was here," she said to Boots. "I wish he'd understand that I do love him and I want to love him apart from the Doctor. I hate that he thinks he has to isolate himself like this."

She stared down at Boots for a moment before carrying her into the living room.

"I'm glad he has you though. Please keep him happy for me, yeah?" she said to her as she set her down on the sofa. "He needs friends now more than ever and if he won't accept me then be his friend in my place."

She stroked her back and Boots let out a meow and lifted her butt up slightly when she reached the back of her body. Rose grinned at that and rubbed under her chin before she straightened up.

"Wish I could stay but I gotta go to work. Take care of the place for me though."

She sighed and felt tears coming to her eyes.

"Oh Jonathon, I wish you would just call me and let me talk to you so we can get this whole mess sorted out," she said, shaking her head.

She stroked Boots one more time before she walked to the door. She looked around for a moment before she went out, shut the door and locked it behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Jonathon groaned and stretched his back when it was the end of his shift.

"Yup, I agree. It's a backbreaking job but I like everyone here," Suzanne said as she followed him back to the break room.

"So do I, it's a very easy job."

"Yeah, it is. That's another good thing about it. So…what are your plans for this evening?"

"Go home, I s'pose. Relax."

"Do you have a car?"

He shook his head.

"Well, listen, I'm goin' to the pub for a drink. Come with me, relax and unwind. You don't need to go home just yet. It's only 7 o'clock. What d'ya say?"

Jonathon smiled.

"Sounds good," he said.

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They went to a nearby pub for a couple of pints of bitter. The pub was crowded, noisy and the faint aroma of cigarette smoke hung in the air. They got a booth near the back and chatted awhile while they drank. Eventually, the others ended their shifts and came in after them. Jonathon laughed as he sat with Suzanne, George and Miranda. Frank, Claudia and Richard pulled a table up close to them and all of them got to know one another as they sipped their lagers and bitters. For the first time since being abandoned, Jonathon felt extremely happy and he knew that he had made the right decision to go and work at the pizza shop because now he had several friends. Real friends that accepted him for who he was and didn't know his true background. He hated not being entirely truthful with them but he knew they'd think he was insane if he told them the truth. He ended up drinking three pints before he decided to call it a night. Suzanne offered to drink him back to his apartment and he wished everyone else a good night as they gave him hugs.

"See you tomorrow, Pretty Boy. Have a good night with that kitten of yours," George said with a wink.

"You too, be sure to tell Ian I said hello," Jonathon replied.

"Oh I will. He'll be jealous of me for working with someone as gorgeous as you though," he said.

Jonathon waved at them as he and Suzanne walked out of the pub. Both of them gasped as they stepped from the warm pub out into the chilly night air.

"Well, that cured my tipsiness in a hurry," Suzanne said as they walked to her car.

"Do you need me to drive?" Jonathon asked.

"Nah, I"ll be alright. I'm not that drunk. You've had more than me," she said.

They walked up to her bright red camaro and Jonathon got into the passenger side while Suzanne climbed in behind the wheel. They shut their doors and she started the car. She looked all around before she eased her way out into traffic and drove over to Jonathon's flat.

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Rose unlocked the door and looked inside Jonathon's flat after knocking on the door. She smiled when Boots ran up to her, mewing.

"Hello, you, is your owner home yet?" she said, coming inside.

She came in and reached down to pick her up. She held her close while she closed the door and locked it.

"This time I'm waitin' till he comes home," Rose said as she sat down on the sofa.

She found the remote and turned the TV on. She watched Strictly Come Dancing while she stroked Boots. A half hour later she finally heard Jonathon's voice outside the door. Her eyes widened when she heard a woman giggling with him. There was a pause and she heard Jonathon saying, "Did Boots turn the telly on by accident?" Then he heard him unlocking the door and steeled herself. She smiled when Jonathon opened the door and stared at her in shock. In his hand was a red shirt and hat and beside him was a woman dressed in the same red shirt with a pink bandanna on her head.

"Oh, who's this?" Suzanne asked Jonathon.

He sighed.

"Someone I know," he said to her.

Rose's heart hurt when she heard the annoyed tone in his voice. She watched as Jonathon pulled Suzanne away from the door and heard him bid her goodnight. She swallowed hard knowing that the next few minutes weren't going to be pretty. Finally, Jonathon stepped through the door, closed it and thrust out his hand while he walked over to her.

"My key, please," he said to her.

"Jonathon, please, just hear me out," Rose said, standing up.

"I want my key…please," Jonathon said, trying to control his temper.

Rose reached into her purse and gave it to him. Jonathon muttered his thanks and went into his bedroom while Rose followed him.

"I'm sorry I came in here without permission but I was worried about ya," she said.

"Rose," Jonathon said as he dropped the clothes on the bed and spun around to face her, "I'm fine. I'll be alright, you don't have to babysit me, okay?"

"I'm not babysitting ya. I'm just worried about ya. You won't return my calls. You weren't here when I came over earlier to give you your money."

"And you can stop that as well. I have a job now."

"You do?"

She glanced down at the shirt and saw Jack's Pizza on it. She gave him an amused grin.

"A pizza shop?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" he said defensively.

Rose sighed.

"Nothing, Jonathon. Just…can't we just talk this out, please?"

"I really don't want to, Rose."

Rose laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Jonathon, you're depressed, I understand that but pushing me away isn't going to help. I love you. I really, really do and It's not because you resemble the Doctor."

"But it's him you want. It's him you tried to chase after. I'm just a consolation prize now."

Rose sighed.

"Alright, Jonathon, I admit I love him. I still do love him but he's gone now so…"

"So you might as well pick the copy and make do with him."

"No, I want to love you, Jonathon. Not love you as the Doctor, but love you as yourself."

"I don't even know who I am, Rose," he said, slumping down on his bed. "I'm not the Doctor but I'm not a completely separate person either. I really feel lost."

Rose's heart felt like it was breaking. She sat down next to him and took his hands.

"Then let me help you find yourself, Jonathon," she said gently. "You're depressed and you need people around you, don't do what the Doctor did and push people out of your life, especially me. I know this is an odd situation but we can work through it and sort it out if you'd just give us a chance and quit assuming that I will never love you as a separate person."

She squeezed his hands when she saw his eyes mist over and she neared closer to him.

"Please let me help you," she said gently. "I'm not my mum. I got angry at her earlier because she told me to stay away from you and I don't wanna do that. That's why I've been helping you. It's brilliant that you went out and got a job and you can earn your own money but I have a feeling pizza making won't earn you that much, yeah?"

"But that's your money, Rose. You should spend it on yourself and not on me."

"But I want to spend it on you, Jonathon. I have more than enough money plus Dad helps me. So now I'm helping you."

Jonathon stiffened a moment when Rose put her hand on his cheek.

"I know who you are and you're not the Doctor," she said gently as she stroked it.

"Why did he do this to you?" Jonathon murmured.

"Huh?"

He looked at her.

"Why did he kick you out the TARDIS door? After all you did to find him again, this is how he repays you? By saddling you with me?"

"No, he didn't saddle me with you," Rose said firmly. "He gave me a gift, a wonderful gift and that's why I wanna try to make this relationship work. I don't know why he did that but I know that he would never love me the way you could love me."

Jonathon stared at the floor while he thought that over. Rose's hand went up to his hair and she stroked it while she waited for him to speak. While she was waiting, Boots gamboled into the room and mewed softly. Rose smiled at her and stroked her back while she rubbed her leg.

"I love your new friend," she said to Jonathon.

A small smile formed on his face.

"Yeah, that's Boots. I found her last night sitting on some rubbish in an alley."

"Aw, you poor thing. Heh, Boots, I like that," Rose said, picking her up. "I'm glad you found her. I'm glad you found somewhere to work, you need to be around others, not sitting and moping in your flat. But that woman…is she…"

"She's a friend from work. Suzanne. She trained me and she and I went down the pub and had a few beers with her and my other friends from work."

"Good. I'm glad you have friends then. I'm glad you're not isolating yourself from everyone. Even if you don't want to be with me, at least I'll feel better knowing you have others who care about you."

Jonathon nodded. Rose rubbed his back as he continued to stare at the floor then suddenly he burst into tears and began to sob softly. Alarmed, Rose drew near to him and put her arms around him.

"Jonathon, talk to me, please," she begged.

He looked at her and Rose's heart nearly broke into when she saw the lost, empty look in his eyes.

"Am I a bad person, Rose?" he said in a small voice.

Rose rubbed her hand down his cheek.

"No, you're not, Jonathon. You're a not a bad person."

"Then why does everyone hate me?" he said. "Why does the Doctor hate me when I was trying to save the universe? Why do Jackie and Pete hate me when I've done nothing to them. Why?"

Rose felt tears coming to her eyes and she swallowed hard.

"I…I don't know, Jonathon. All I know is you're not a bad person," she said, rubbing his back.

She put her other hand on his cheek and turned his face to hers.

"Jonathon, I love you. I'm not like the Doctor or my mom or dad. I'm not your enemy. I don't hate you. I want to be with you and help you, please."

She wiped away his tear with the pad of her thumb. She hesitated a moment and then leaned in for a kiss. Jonathon hesitated and then leaned in, catching her lips and kissing them deeply. Jonathon wrapped his arms around her while they kissed each other. They stayed that way for a few minutes and then Jonathon leaned back. Rose leaned in and kissed his forehead.

"May I stay with you tonight?" she said softly.

"I have to go to work tomorrow," he said.

"What time?"

"I have to be there by eleven a.m."

"I have to be at Torchwood by nine. So let me spend the night and I'll make you breakfast in the morning before I leave. Just let me be close to you tonight and keep you company, yeah?"

Jonathon thought it over and then nodded. Rose nuzzled his cheek with her nose.

"Then let me go home and pack a small bag and I'll come right back."

Jonathon nodded and Rose kissed a tear stain on his right cheek.

"I love you, Jonathon, I mean that. I love you, not the Doctor."

Jonathon smiled at that and Rose kissed his cheek again.

"I'll be back so don't lock me out," she whispered.

"Hurry back, please."

Rose grinned at that and nodded. She gave him a couple more kisses on the cheek and squeezed his hands before she got up and hurried towards the front door.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

_So here I am waiting, writing down my thoughts while I wait for Rose Tyler to return to my flat. I have mixed feelings about all this. I really hate to encourage her. I don't want to get her hopes up especially if our relationship comes to a crashing halt but…I need her. Damn it, I need Rose Tyler so badly I could scream. I suppose I can blame the Doctor. After all, he fell in love with her so deeply it carried over into me. I tried to send her away tonight when I found her here but it was only a half-hearted attempt to be honest because suddenly when I saw her beautiful face and gazed into her eyes I wanted her with me. Still, I tried my best to pretend because I'm still not sure I can live up to her expectations. She says she'll love me for me, but will she really? I suppose time will tell but at least for tonight I can pretend that Rose is well and truly mine._

Jonathon looked up when he heard a knock on the door. He closed his diary and put it in his pocket before he went to answer it. Rose came inside carrying a small tote bag and her purse.

"Thanks," she said as Jonathon moved aside to let her pass, "I had to tell mum and dad that I was coming over here. They about hit the ceiling but I don't care. I'm tired of them being against you."

Jonathon felt a pang of guilt as he closed the door.

"Rose, don't do anything that'll cause you to lose your family," he said. "I know you wanna be with me, but this isn't worth it if your mum decides never to talk to you again and…"

"No, Jonathon, it's fine. They'll get over it," Rose said.

She grinned when Boots came up and began to rub against her leg. She picked her up and held her close.

"Would you like me to sleep on the sofa?" she asked.

"No, you can take my bed. I'll sleep here," Jonathon said, gesturing to the sofa.

Rose nodded. She handed Boots to him and took her bag into the bathroom so she could get ready. Jonathon held Boots close and stroked her while she mewed and purred at the same time and kneaded his chest. He sat down and looked through the channels until he found a nature documentary. He only half-listened to it as he heard Rose running the shower. His eyes widened when he felt himself getting aroused by the thought of her showering in the nude. He swallowed hard and tried to keep his eyes on the documentary while Boots curled up beside him and went to sleep. He knew this was something new since the Doctor really didn't have this same kind of problem. His sire had more self control than this and even though he had fantasized about Rose and had gotten off on it, that had been in private. In public, he had been able to control his erections and his urges but Jonathon had a half-human body and try as he might, he couldn't make it conform to his wishes. He was glad he was going to be on the sofa tonight but he wondered how long he could keep himself from going into the bedroom and lying down with Rose. Finally, he couldn't stand it any longer and moved out onto his balcony where he had a couple of metal chairs and a metal table. He sat down in the left chair and looked out over the city. In the distance, he could see lightning flash and knew they were about to have another storm. He stared out at the gathering storm, lost in contemplation until he felt Rose's hand on his shoulder.

"Jonathon, are you alright?" she asked softly.

"It's going to storm again," he said, gesturing to the clouds.

"Would you like me to make you some tea?"

Jonathon considered that for a moment and then nodded. Rose squeezed his shoulder and walked away. Once she was gone, Jonathon became lost in his thoughts again. He wondered what was happening with the Doctor in the other universe. He was still clever enough to know that Donna could never survive with a Time Lord mind and he knew there was only one solution for that, one horrible solution. It was odd but because he was partly Donna, he could sense some of her memories mingled with the Doctor's and his own. He had used some of those memories to help her overcome her low-self esteem and make her see that she was more than what she believed she was. He had been so proud of her when she became the DoctorDonna and finally realized how unique and special she truly was. His heart ached, missing her terribly. She had been such a good friend and he longed for her tell it like it is way of speaking and the way she could cut through the bullshit and get right to the heart of the matter. He closed his eyes knowing that the Donna he and the Doctor had both grown to love was probably dead now, back to being the self-centered woman the Doctor first met just after he said goodbye to Rose.

He was brought back to reality again when Rose gently touched his shoulder and set a cup of tea down in front of him.

"I guessed on what you would like it in since I fixed quite a few cuppas for the Doctor," she said.

Jonathon glanced up at her and smiled.

"Thank you, Rose, I appreciate it."

Rose frowned when she saw the misty eyes.

"Are you alright?" she said gently.

He nodded and glanced out at the sky when lightning flashed again.

"Yeah, I was just thinking of Donna and missing her," he said.

Rose went back into the flat, retrieved her cup of tea from the table and took it back out. She blew on it as she settled down in the seat beside him. She took a few sips while she watched and listened to the storm.

"There are a lot more storms here than in the other universe," she said to him. "At least it seems like more."

Jonathon took a sip of tea.

"A storm is coming," he muttered to himself.

Rose heard him and swallowed hard, knowing what he was referring to. She lapsed into silence, unsure of what to say. She was afraid to mention the Doctor for fear of upsetting him and she wanted him to say something first so she would have some clue where to take their conversation. She felt Boots nuzzle her leg and she smiled as she reached down to stroke her.

"Rose, can I ask you something?"

Rose's eyes went up to his and he saw the dullness in them that she hated. She wished more than anything she could bring a sparkle back to them.

"Sure," she said.

"When I told you what the Doctor said and you kissed me, were you kissing me or kissing him by proxy?" he asked.

"I…think it was a bit of both," Rose said truthfully. "I kissed both of you when I did that."

Jonathon nodded and lapsed back into silence. Rose sipped her tea and watched the storm. By now, the rain was coming down and Boots scurried back into the house to avoid it and the thunder booms.

"Do you miss him?"

Rose looked at Jonathon and nodded.

"I do, yeah," she said.

Jonathon smiled.

"Thank you for being honest with me, Rose. I'd rather hear the truth than a sugar-coated version of it."

"I want to be honest with you, Jonathon," she said. "Especially since I think the Doctor was less than honest with you when he made you walk out onto the beach."

Jonathon sipped his tea thoughtfully.

"Shoulda known something like that was comin'," he said. "Actually, I did know something was going to happen by the way he looked at me when he set the coordinates for the bay but I never realized he'd actually dump me out on the beach until he told you to look after me."

He sighed.

"And Rose, you don't need to do that, okay? I'm not a threat to the universe. I'm not gonna go berserk and kill the entire human race."

"I know that, Jonathon. I know you wouldn't."

He shook his head.

"What sticks in my craw is the Doctor's committed genocide himself and blames me because I saved the universe from Davros and his abominations. I don't feel one iota of remorse for their destruction. I stood there by the door listening to his insane conversation with Davros."

He snorted and said in a snotty voice.

"Davros, come with me, I can save you. Who is he kidding? Save him, where was he gonna put him and what was he gonna do with him? Put him somewhere where he could escape and do it all over again? Good riddance to bad rubbish. I hope he never comes back and neither do his so-called children."

Rose listened quietly to his angry rant, feeling a bit uneasy. The Doctor mentioned that Jonathon had her old Doctor's personality and here was an example of it. She was reminded of her old Doctor wanting to destroy the mutant Dalek after it surrendered. But, even though she didn't like hearing him talk about how glad he was the Daleks and Davros were dead, she was also glad of it. She hated the Daleks with a passion and Davros was no better. Still, she could also see the Doctor's point of view about finding a solution other than genocide. Conflicted, she remained silent and let Jonathon vent his anger while she sipped her tea. She noticed the guilty look in Jonathon's eyes and once more her heart ached for him.

"I'm not a bad person, Rose, honestly I'm not," he said, his eyes pleading for understanding.

Rose set her cup down and brought her chair over beside him.

"I know you're not, Jonathon," she said gently. "I understand your anger. I feel the same conflict. I know it was wrong to kill them but I'm glad they're dead and no longer a threat to the universe."

"Then why can't the Doctor understand that?" Jonathon said. "He's never liked the Daleks or Davros. He was angry when they showed up again in New York. He was tired of them always resurfacing and making his life miserable and yet when I finally acted decisively and did the universe a favor, he turns his wrath on me. Why?"

"I think Davros got to him when we were in the vault. He and Caan both taunted him and caused him to show his anger and when Jack and Martha both offered to sacrifice themselves and the Earth or the Crucible to save the universe, Davros told him that he fashions his companions into weapons and accused him of sending us out to die in his name. I think he frightened the Doctor by implying that he was nothing but a murderer and when you did that, I think he thought that you were living proof of that. I can't be certain but that's my theory."

Jonathon considered that while Rose put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it.

"I'm not afraid of you, Jonathon," she said when he didn't speak. "You're not a threat to me or to this world. I think the Doctor knew that, otherwise he would have imprisoned you or killed you. But, if you think about it, this whole mess started with me."

Jonathon gave her a shocked look.

"How?" he said.

"Because I'm the one that came back and found the Doctor. If I hadn't been on that street running towards him, he wouldn't have gotten distracted and saw the Dalek before it shot him. I'm the one that caused him to regenerate and because of that he siphoned the energy off into his hand and you were born. It's because of me that you're here and I'm the one who's at fault."

"No, you're not to blame."

"But I am. I'm the one who pushed Torchwood to build the dimension cannon because I was so eager to get back to the Doctor. I risked the collapse of all reality because I just had to be with him again."

"But you were the one helped Donna and saved her from the Trickster," Jonathon pointed out. "You were able to warn the Doctor something was wrong through her so when the Earth was stolen he wasn't as caught off guard as he would be if you hadn't mentioned the darkness to Donna. You helped save all of creation, Rose. And as much as I hate to admit it sometimes, I was meant to be born to help save it too."

Rose swallowed hard.

"Do…do you want to die?" she asked in a soft voice.

Jonathon glanced at her.

"Truthfully?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, sometimes I do," he said.

Rose put her fingers against his cheek as he stared out at the thunderstorm.

"I'm sorry if that upsets you but you asked for the truth," he said.

"Thank you for telling me the truth," she replied.

"I meant it when I said I don't know what I am. There's never been a human Time Lord metacrisis before which makes me the first human Time Lord. I don't have a clue about how to live my life now. Do I become human and reject my Time Lord side or try to find a way to go back to the stars and reject my humanity?"

"Why should you reject either one?" Rose said. "Be both. Be both a human and a Time Lord."

"And do what?" Jonathon said. "Make pizzas? The job is brilliant. I don't mind doing it but deep down inside I know I'm a Time Lord that was meant for more. But without a TARDIS, what can I do? I'm stuck, Rose. I'm stuck in a place I don't wanna be living a life I don't want. I'm trying to be human but I don't feel human and I don't know how to reconcile my two selves and find a balance."

Rose felt tears coming to her eyes.

"I want you to be happy, Jonathon. I want you to live the life you were meant to live and not worry about trying to please me or my parents or society. Be yourself and don't give a damn what anybody thinks about it."

"But what I want is to be up there," he said, pointing to the sky. "How do we accomplish that then?"

"Just…leave it to me. I'll see what I can do through Torchwood," Rose said firmly. "Just carry on with the job for now and make some money so you can have some fun and not be stressed out all the time. Just let me help you, please."

Jonathon nodded.

"And when it's all said and done…if there is a solution and I do go back to the stars…do you want to come with me?"

"In the worst way," she said.

Jonathon smiled at that. Rose leaned forward and touched noses with him.

"Just relax, Jonathon. Live your life day to day and let me try to figure out a way to set you free from Earth," she whispered.

"Thank you," Jonathon whispered back.

Rose smiled and kissed his forehead. Jonathon took her hand and held it in his while both of them sipped their tea and watched the thunderstorm.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

After awhile the two of them decided to go to bed. Rose went and lay down in Jonathon's bed while he went in the bathroom, put on a pair of light blue pajamas and brushed his teeth. Boots scampered around his feet and played with her ball while he brushed. He smiled at her before he spit into the sink.

"You better watch that. I might accidentally step on ya one day, "he said before he put the toothbrush back in his mouth.

He finished up, picked up Boots and carried her into the living room. On the way he looked into his bedroom and noticed Rose was awake and staring up at the ceiling. He wandered in.

"Rose?" he said.

"Yeah?" she said, looking at him.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm just thinkin'," she said.

"Would you like a precocious kitten to keep you company tonight?"

Rose grinned.

"Yeah, I think I would like that," she said.

Jonathon set Boots down next to her.

"Behave, Boots, don't go crawling on her and putting your ass up in her face like you did me."

"She put her bum in your face?" Rose said, amused.

"Yes, last night so beware."

"I'll do that then," Rose said.

She took his hand and squeezed it.

"If you need me, I'll be here," she said.

Jonathon nodded.

"Same with me."

Rose smiled.

"Good night, Jonathon," she said, squeezing his hand again.

"Good night, Rose."

Jonathon walked into the living room while Rose settled into a comfortable position and stroked Boots.

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Rose woke suddenly. She had drifted off to sleep sometime after she started playing with Boots. The kitten was now beside her rib cage snuggled up against her. What had woke her up was the thunderstorm which was now starting up again and producing huge thunderclaps that rattled the windows of the small flat. She stared out the window for a moment and the stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought.

She was thinking of a time when she and the Doctor had traveled to Nestos and spent the night at a hotel there. The whole planet was arboreal with trees surrounding their hotel that had many different species of animals in them. The two of them had taken a walk through the forest marveling at all the weird and wonderful animals before having a huge meal and going off to bed. What he had neglected to tell her was there were frequent and violent thunderstorms that occurred almost daily. The hotel had been built with reinforced steel and concrete and shatterproof glass to withstand the tempests but it still frightened Rose when she woke up to a loud boom and the sound of lightning crackling outside. She and the Doctor were sleeping in separate rooms. The Doctor had insisted on leaving the communicating doors open just in case she needed something but she figured he was asleep since the lights were out. Then she saw his silhouette in the doorway. It was dark enough that she couldn't see his face but she could tell he was staring right at her. Then a lightning flash lit up the room for a second and she saw the concern. He noticed during the flash that she was awake and staring at him so he moved over to the bed with a catlike grace that she had always admired.

"Rose, are you alright?" the Doctor said softly.

"Yeah, I'm…"

At that moment, a loud thunder boom that sounded like a cannon being fired shook the room and scared Rose half to death. The Doctor's hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

"S'alright, we're safe," he said softly. "Just a thunderstorm is all."

Another loud boom sounded overhead.

"Yeah, just an ordinary common or garden thunderstorm alright," Rose said dryly.

The Doctor laughed then. A low, rumbling chuckle that Rose found incredibly sexy. There was a moment's hesitation and then the Doctor put his hand against her cheek. He kept it there for a moment and Rose sensed he was being hesitant so she did the same in return. She could sense him relaxing and he began to stroke her cheek gently. Rose closed her eyes and sighed, loving the feel of his fingertips on her skin. She had begun a relationship with the other Doctor but it had been tentative since that Doctor had never really opened his hearts to his companion before. But this Doctor was more open, more willing to be tender and even though he still guarded his emotions like his predecessor did, in many ways he was freer with them and more ready to love Rose and explore this new side of their relationship. However, he still drew the line at sexual contact and limited himself to kissing and touching which Rose didn't mind one bit. Her heart had been drawn to him almost from the first and even though she knew she was breaking Mickey's heart by doing this, she knew that she and Mickey were already headed for a breakup before the Doctor even got there. No, she thought to herself, this is the man who I will love forever.

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Rose smiled softly at the memory of that night, the Doctor's kisses and caresses and the way he conveyed his love without saying it. She knew, deep in her heart, that he meant to say I love you that day they were separated, but she just had to hear it for herself, hear him say it and mean it. She sighed deeply, wondering if he was alright.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning hit near the flat. The light was so intense it momentarily blinded her, sending her into a panic and sending Boots running off the bed for cover. She rubbed her eyes trying to get her vision back.

"Rose?"

She paused when she heard Jonathon. She felt him touch her arm tentatively.

"Are you alright? What happened?" he said.

Rose took her hand away from her eyes and tried to focus on Jonathon amidst the bright dots of light that were still left over from the bright flash.

"I was staring out the window when a bolt of lightning hit near the flat and I was temporarily blinded."

Jonathan chuckled.

"Well, I think Boots is halfway to Aberdeen by now," he said. "Good night, Rose."

"No, wait!" Rose said when he started to walk away.

He turned back to her with a quizzical look on his face and Rose pointed to the other side of the bed.

"Stay here? Sleep with me and keep me company?" she said.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Rose reached out and took his hand.

"Yes, please lay here with me," she said.

She let go of his hand when he walked around the other side of the bed. She watched quietly while he pulled back the covers and got under them. Rose turned on her side and faced him as he did the same.

"Looks like we'll be in for one wild night," Jonathon said.

He grinned when he saw Rose's eyebrow arch in the dim light.

"I meant the storm," he teased.

Rose smiled at that and inched closer to him. Jonathon watched her quietly, not daring to make a move until he knew for certain what she was going to do. Rose sighed contentedly and snuggled up against him.

"You don't mind this, do you?" she asked him.

"No, I don't mind at all."

He watched quietly while Rose fingered his PJ top. He could smell the scent of her lavender shampoo and it almost drove him wild with desire but he kept his sexual urges contained for the moment, again letting Rose decide when and if they should become physical. For now he was content just to have her near.

Another loud thunder boom and Rose put her arms around his neck.

"Are you scared, Rose Tyler, after everything you faced with the Doctor?" Jonathon teased.

"Yeah, well I never liked storms all that much," Rose said. "That's one advantage of traveling in the TARDIS. No storms in the vortex."

"Yes, that's true, although there are other things that can disrupt the vortex."

"Like the time we fell into this universe?"

"Yes, like that."

Rose let out a mirthless laugh.

"What is it?" Jonathon asked.

She continued to finger his PJ top while she spoke.

"Just…I never imagined when we first fell through the void into here that this would become my permanent home," she said softly. "I always though me and the Doctor, it'd be forever, ya know?"

"Nothing lasts forever, Rose," Jonathon said gently. "Even if the Doctor hadn't dropped you off, you would have tired of traveling with him eventually."

"No, I wouldn't," Rose said, looking up at him. "I would never get tired of traveling…"

"You say that, Rose, but you were only with him for two years. Eventually the running and the fighting and the constant conflict wore his friends down and they eventually had enough and went back to normal lives. You swore you'd be with him forever but forever is a very long time and a lot can happen."

Rose fell silent, considering that while Jonathon tentatively stroked her hair.

"There's no shame in wanting out of that kind of life, Rose," he said when she didn't say anything. "Everyone tires of it, even the Doctor gets tired of the constant stress and strife but humans more so and you can only do so much."

"Then why do you wanna do it again?" Rose asked him. "Why not settle down and be a pizza maker for the rest of your life?"

"Well, because I was born to do greater things than make pizzas and because I'm afraid if I stay in that shop much longer I'll be eating more pizza than I'll actually get in the oven."

Rose giggled.

"Don't blame ya there."

Jonathon heard the storm fading away.

"It's ending now, Rose, do you wanna try to go to sleep?" he asked.

"Yeah," Rose replied.

She neared closer to Jonathon and he draped his arm over her back.

"Good night, Rose," Jonathon said.

"Could you…could you kiss me goodnight?" Rose asked.

Jonathon smiled and nodded. Rose leaned her head back and accepted the deep kiss he gave her. After they kissed, they rubbed noses and Jonathon rubbed Rose's back as she pulled the covers up, closed her eyes and went to sleep beside him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The next morning Jonathon awoke to the aroma of sizzling bacon and frying eggs. He began to salivate as he sat up and stretched his back. He saw Boots below him mewing softly.

"What? You want a bit of breakfast too, my little puss puss?" he said, rubbing her body. "Feeling a bit peckish? Me too."

He got up and stretched.

"I don't like this human body, too many aches and pains," he said as he walked into the bathroom.

He took a quick shower and dressed. By the time he was done, Rose had breakfast ready and waiting for him.

"I made bacon and eggs and toast with tea," she said to him when he entered the kitchen. "Wasn't sure what you'd like so I dug around and found a few things."

"This is brilliant, thanks," he said as they sat down at the breakfast table.

Both of them started to eat their food. While they did, Boots came up to Jonathon. She mewed and purred as she rubbed up against his leg.

"I s'pose you want some as well," he said to her while Rose giggled.

"Gonna have to catnap her on the way out," Rose said.

"Oh no, not a chance, you go find your own. Boots is mine," he said.

Rose smiled as Jonathon fed his cat a bit of egg from his plate.

"Haven't had a cat in ages," she said to him. "Had one when I was six but it was completely black."

"Really? What was his name?"

"Her. Her name was Midnight," she said.

"I like that," Jonathon said, picking up a piece of bacon. "Have any other pets besides Midnight?"

Rose chuckled.

"Well, when I was ten, Shareen got me a pet mouse from the pet shop and mum was so angry because the last thing she wanted in her house was a mouse. But she let me keep it for a few years and actually it was a pretty good pet, well behaved."

"What was its name?"

He paused with a bit of toast halfway up to his mouth when Rose sniggered.

"What? What was its name, Rose?" he said, amused.

Rose laughed harder.

"What was its name, Rose, come on," Jonathon said.

Rose cleared her throat and put her hand up to her mouth before muttering…

"Dangermouse."

She blushed when Jonathon giggled hysterically.

"Really? And did you buy a mole, put a suit on it and call it Penfold?" he said.

Rose raised her eyebrow and grinned.

"Doctor watch a lot of Dangermouse, did he?" she said.

She laughed when Jonathon got a deer in the headlights look.

"Um…no, he…um, went online and found an entry about it while he was searching for an article on sub-atomic particles."

"Yeah, right, sure he did," Rose said.

They laughed together and then tried to eat while they kept on giggling.

"Aaaah, I love finding out new things about the Doctor," Rose said between giggles.

She was thrilled when Jonathon got a twinkle in his eyes and her heart soared knowing she had finally put that sparkle there. Pleased with herself, she went back to eating her breakfast.

"He's the greatest, he's fantastic, wherever there is danger he'll be there."

Rose sniggered when she heard Jonathon warbling the theme song to Dangermouse.

"Now you stop that," she said, pointing at him with her fork.

Jonathon shrugged and grinned as he took a sip of tea. He waited till Rose had eaten some egg before saying…

"Oh crumbs, oh crikey!"

Rose coughed.

"Jonathon, stop it!"

"Sorry, couldn't resist," he said with a wink as he drank some more of his tea.

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Rose sighed as they stood in front of Jonathon's front door.

"I hate going to work. I'd rather sleep," she said to him.

"Now, Rose, you must be a productive member of society," Jonathon said, wagging his finger at her.

He chuckled when Rose rolled her eyes at that.

"I'd rather be off chasing Slitheen on Raxicoricofallipatorius," she said.

She took his hands and squeezed them as she suddenly turned serious.

"Jonathon, I…I want us to be together," she said. "I had so much fun with you last night and I don't want things to go back to the way they were before where you were trying to push me away. Please…can't we give this a try? I do love you. We were meant to be together, you and I. You asked me if we could grow old together and I want that. I want to grow old in your arms. Please?"

"I want that, Rose. I want to make this work. We need each other."

Rose nodded. Jonathon opened his arms and embraced her when she stepped into them. He enveloped her and laid his cheek on top of her head while she sighed and breathed in his scent.

"The Doctor and I loved each other but he was always afraid to be one hundred percent loving and open with me and I think you and I can do that," Rose murmured. "I can teach you how to be human and help you reach the stars again but I want you to try to be happy and realize that you do have people who love you here and want you around. Not just me, but your mates at the pizza shop and your little egg-eating friend there."

Jonathon chuckled and glanced down at Boots who was nearby cleaning her fur.

"I want that too, Rose. I don't want to spend my life apart from you," he said to her. "I'm sorry for the way I acted."

"S'alright. I know you're upset and depressed and that was part of it," she said, stroking his cheek. "And I can help you with that as well but we have to let each other in to our hearts. This isn't the end for either of us, I realize that now. It's a whole new beginning and we need to make the most of it."

"I agree."

"Then can I have the key back? Just for safekeeping, in case I need to check on ya or in case I need to escape mum since I know she'll be angry about this."

She kissed his cheek.

"I don't care though. Let her be angry all she wants. I'm an adult and I'll date whoever I like," she said.

She gave him a kiss on the lips.

"What time do you leave work tonight?" she said.

"7 p.m."

"Let me pick you up then and we can go out to eat and maybe see a film," she said.

Jonathon nodded.

"'Sides, I wanna meet these friends of yours properly. Especially that woman that was with you…"

"Suzanne."

"Suzanne. She seemed like a nice woman."

"She is. She's sweet. If you noticed though. She has a bandanna on and it's because she has breast cancer and went through chemotherapy."

"Oh God," Rose said. "Is she okay?"

"She doesn't know yet. I hope so," he said.

He walked over, picked up the key from the table and gave it back to her.

"Thank you," Rose said, putting it in her pocket. "And I promise no more unannounced visits. I understand you need your privacy so ring me if you want me to come over so I won't interrupt you anymore, yeah?"

Jonathon nodded.

"You have my phone number, right?"

He nodded and Rose kissed him. Jonathon sighed as she ran her hand down the back of his head.

"Gotta go, I'll see you tonight at the pizza shop. And since I am picking you up, can you tell me where it is?"

Jonathon chuckled. He hurried and got a pen and pad of paper and jotted down the address. He gave it to her while he quickly explained how to get there. Rose nodded, kissed him again and put it in her pocket.

"I love you, Jonathon."

"I love you too, Rose."

Rose smiled at that, gave him one more kiss and waited until Jonathon opened the door before she went out. Jonathon waved goodbye to her and with a lopsided grin, closed the door and went to get his uniform on.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Jonathon finished changing into his outfit. He was wearing black trainers and black trousers with his red shirt and hat. He stood and stared at himself in the mirror with an amused grin on his face. He heard a mewing and saw Boots standing at his feet.

"Now don't you say anything, you cheeky thing, you," he said, picking her up and holding her at eye level. "This is what they want me to wear and as goofy as it looks, I'm gonna wear it."

"Mew," Boots said as she stared at him.

"Now!" he said sternly to her. "Don't go messing up the flat, peeing and pooping all over the place and then leave it for me to clean up. You are the misses of the house so I expect it to be neat and tidy when I return home, you got that?"

"Mew."

Jonathon's heart melted and he snuggled the kitten close to him.

"You are so cute!" he said as Boots purred and kneaded her claws. "You are cute, cutity cute cute. The Doctor was wrong when he said he didn't like cats anymore. Who couldn't like a cutey like you?"

He kissed her head, walked into the living room and set her on the sofa.

"Goodbye, puss puss, gotta go earn a livin'," he said, stroking her back.

He gave her another kiss on top of her head before he headed out the door.

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"Hey!" Suzanne said when he came in the back of the pizza shop. "Look, he actually came back to work and didn't run away screaming from us in terror."

"Nah, I had a good time yesterday," Jonathon said, walking over to her.

Claudia raised her eyebrow.

"Had a good time, did Edward come by the pub and slip something in his pint last night?" she said.

"No, honey, he just loves being around us!" George said, coming up to her and putting his arms around her. "We're all just so charming, he can't get enough of us."

Jonathon chuckled at that. Everyone went back to work while Jonathon worked alongside Suzanne. Suzanne watched him closely and was impressed that he didn't need any help.

"You're good. Most people need a second day of training to get this right," she said.

"Well, isn't rocket science, is it?" Jonathon said.

Suzanne snorted.

"Try telling that to some of the idiots that have worked here," she said.

She gave him a worried glance.

"The lady that was in your flat last night, I hope I didn't do something to upset her."

"No, no, that's Rose. She's…my girlfriend."

Suzanne raised her eyebrow.

"Really? That was fast since you said yesterday you didn't have one."

"Well, she's an old friend and we finally decided to become lovers this morning," he said.

They turned their heads when they heard George wail.

"No! Someone beat me to it!" he said to Claudia and Richard as they laughed hysterically.

George grinned and winked at him.

"Only kidding, Pretty Boy. You can have her only if I can have you on the weekends," he said.

"Mmm, I'll think about it, George."

Everyone laughed when George beamed at that.

"Don't encourage him, mate. He'll be bangin' on your door at all hours," Richard said.

"Nah, I'll let Pretty Boy get his sleep. Don't want him coming in to work with bags under his eyes, ew."

They all laughed at that and continued making pizzas as lunchtime customers came in to order.

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"Oh God, it feels good to go home and put my feet up," Suzanne said as she and Jonathon stood in the break room. "I get so tired easily nowadays. I s'pose it's the chemo taking a toll on my body."

She chuckled at the worried look on Jonathon's face.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. You haven't seen the last of me," she said. "So…do you need a lift home?"

"Nah, Rose is coming to pick me up and take me out to eat and maybe we'll see a film."

"Really? She's coming here?"

"Yeah, she wanted to see where I worked and meet all of you," he said.

"Good, I'm glad I didn't scare her away with my shiny bald head," she teased.

Jonathon grinned at that and clocked out of work.

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By the time Rose came to pick him up, everyone was waiting by the front door eager to see her. She got out of her car and smiled when she came inside. Jonathon's friends laughed when she gazed at his uniform with barely contained mirth.

"You look good, Jonathon. I'm guessing we'll have to pop round to your flat before we go out to eat then? Unless you wanna wear this?"

"Good ahead and wear it, mate. Free advertising for the pizza shop when you go to the restaurant," Richard said.

Jonathon smiled and introduced Rose to everyone. She shook everyone's hand and smiled warmly when she got to Suzanne.

"It's nice to finally meet you properly," she said.

"Yeah, you too. I'm glad you and him are a couple now."

"Me too."

She looked at Jonathon.

"So…you ready to go, Pizza Boy?"

Jonathon blushed as she put her tongue between her teeth and his co-workers sniggered at that. He and Rose waved and said their goodbyes as they went out the door.

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After taking Jonathon home so he could change back into his street clothes, Rose took him out to a fancy restaurant that she knew of. Jonathon was slightly upset when he saw it.

"Rose, we could have just gone out for burgers. You didn't have to bring me here," he said.

"It's alright. I have more than enough money and you deserve something nice," she said, taking his hand. "Don't worry, Jonathon, I'm not going in stook anytime soon. Both Torchwood and my father supply me with more than enough money. Now come on. Just relax and enjoy yourself."

He nodded and followed her inside. The interior was large with white walls and carved Doric columns in the corner of the rooms. The tables were small with white tablecloths. Each one had a lit candle in a red glass vase and on the walls were pictures of hunting and outdoor scenes. The head waiter escorted them to a table near the back and handed them menus.

"This is nice, how'd you find out about this place?" Jonathon said, looking around.

"Dad took me here a few times. He comes here often to discuss business with clients and friends," she said. "Order whatever you like, don't worry about how much it costs."

"Okay, I'll have everything on the menu twice."

"Don't push your luck however," Rose said as he giggled.

The head waiter came back and both of them ordered tea. Jonathon ordered a steak dinner with baked potato and green beans and Rose ordered a chicken dinner with chips. The head waited took the menus and walked away.

"Rose, did your mum say anything to you or have you been home yet?" he said to her.

She rolled her eyes.

"I went home and yes, she had a few things to say but I told her I was an adult and I love you and that's that," she said.

"Yes, but I don't wanna be the cause of a rift between you and…"

Rose held up her hand.

"Jonathon, no. If anyone's gonna cause a rift, it'll be me. I wanna be with you. Mum and Dad might not like it but you know what? Tough. You're the one I wanna be with and they'll just have to accept it. Don't worry about it, Jonathon, let me handle them. Just concentrate on your new life here, yeah?"

The head waiter came back with their tea. They thanked him and he went away. Both of them fixed their cups the way they liked them before continuing with their conversation.

"I like your mates. They're all nice people and I'm glad Suzanne isn't angry that you pulled her away from me last night."

"I'm sorry about that. I mean, I shouldn't have done that…"

Rose held up her hand.

"Water under the bridge. We're sorting that kind of thing out now so don't worry about it," she said. "Like I said, this is our new beginning. It's the beginning of everything. What happened on the Crucible and Bad Wolf Bay is over and done. This…tonight, marks the beginning of our new life together."

Jonathon smiled at that. He reached across the table and Rose took his hand.

"And having said that, I want you to know that I love you as you are. You are Jonathon, not the Doctor and I get that, yeah? So no more fears of not measuring up to him or thinking I'm using you as a substitute for him. I'm concentrating on the here and now and my future is with you."

They squeezed each other's hands.

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Jonathon opened the door to his flat and glanced around.

"Well, everything is still in order, I see," he said to Rose. "Bootsy's been behaving herself, nothing chewed or pooped on, that's good."

"I'm still taking her when you're not lookin'" she said to him.

"I don't think so, Tyler," he said while she giggled and winked at him.

She closed the door behind her which gave him pause.

"Staying a bit?" he said.

"I wanna spend the night with you again if that's alright," Rose said. "Mum is still angry and I'm really not in the mood to hear her rant about ya."

She put her hand on his back when his eyes lowered to the floor.

"Don't worry about it, I said. I'll handle her; you just concentrate on yourself, okay?"

He nodded.

"Are you gonna call her though and let her know you're here?" he said.

"Yes, but I'll do it here so I can hang up on her if she gets too loud and abusive."

Jonathon shook his head and she gave him a kiss.

"Relax, I can handle her. I've fought monsters before, haven't I…and don't you say it, Jonathon," she said when he got a mischievous look in his eyes. "I know you're dying to call me mum a monster but I'm asking you not to, okay?"

He nodded and kissed her lips. Rose let out a sigh and hugged him tightly.

"I'll use the toilet and then I'll ring her," she said to him.

He nodded. She gave him another kiss and headed for the bathroom as Jonathon went to check on Boot's food and water.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Jonathon went to make him and Rose some popcorn while she used the loo and prepared to talk to her mother. He reached into his larder and pulled out a box of microwave buttered popcorn. He glanced at it and looked at Boots who was munching the dried cat food in her bowl.

"Not very romantic but it's all I know how to make," he said to her.

He stroked her back while she ate.

"Still, I bet you'd choose this over that, eh?" he said. "My little puss puss."

He pulled a couple of bags out of the box. While one was in the microwave popping, he found a large red bowl and pulled two beers out of the fridge. He glanced down and smiled when Boots sauntered over, stood up on her hind legs and peered inside.

"Yup, I can tell you definitely want something better," he said.

His eyes widened when Boots hopped up onto the first shelf and made a beeline for some cheese.

"Oi! you get out of there, you cheeky little thing," he said, grabbing her. "You are not a mouse."

He held her to his chest while he shut the door with his foot and carried the two bottles of beer in his other hand. He put them down on the counter while he walked over with her to the microwave.

"Nope, you are definitely not a mouse," he said to Boots as he took one bag out and put the other one in. "But if you want me to, I'll call ya Squeaky."

He turned his head when Rose came into the kitchen.

"Did I ever tell ya you look cute with a kitten in your hand?" she said.

"The little scamp was trying to get at my cheese when I had the fridge door open," he said. "I told her she wasn't a mouse."

"Well, she's small like a mouse," Rose said, walking over to them. "That's what makes her so cute."

"Well she won't be this size for much longer so enjoy her cuteness while you can," he said.

He took the last bag out of the microwave while Rose opened them and poured the popcorn in the bowl

"So how'd the talk with Jackie go?" he asked.

"I haven't done it yet. I'm kinda nervous about it. I don't wanna listen to her anger."

"Don't blame ya there," he said."Got beers for us, they're over on the counter."

"Thanks," Rose said, walking over to the counter.

She grabbed one and opened it while Jonathon set Boots down on the floor and picked up the bowl.

"Jonathon, can I tell ya something?" Rose asked.

"You can tell me anything," he said, shrugging.

"Well, I don't want ya to get angry."

"I won't, Rose. Just say whatever you want to say," he said.

"It's just that sometimes I wonder what the Doctor's doing and if he's alright," she said. "I mean it's strange that he's a whole universe away but at least he has Donna to keep him company."

She noticed the pained look on his face.

"What is it?" she asked.

Jonathon grabbed his beer and took it and the bowl out to the living room while Rose followed him. While they put their food down on the tables, Jonathon explained his theory about the Doctor having to drain Donna's memories. Rose was horrified.

"God," she said when he finished and they were sitting down. "Poor Donna. I didn't realize...oh God, that's not going to happen to you as well, is it?"

"No, she siphoned off enough of my Time Lord mind that I can contain it within my human mind. I'm not in any danger of burning up."

"But, Donna...I mean I never got to know her that well but I liked her and...I hate she's lost all her memories of her time with the Doctor. When I was in her universe, I told her that she was gonna die but I thought it meant a physical death. I was relieved when she survived the Crucible but I s'pose death meant she'd lose all her memories then."

Jonathon nodded. He put a hand on her shoulder when Rose shook her head.

"I hope that didn't happen. The Doctor's clever. If anyone could figure out a way to save her, it'd be him."

Jonathon nodded. He felt guilty when he noticed the pain on her face.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said..."

"No, it's alright. I want to know. Besides, I still have to talk to mum and that's much worse," she said.

She sighed deeply and reached into her pocket for her mobile.

"Better get it over with," she said.

Jonathon munched on some popcorn while he listened to Rose. He rolled his eyes when he heard Jackie's screechy voice yelling at Rose the moment she told him she was spending the night.

"That man is nothing but trouble, Rose!" he heard her saying. "You need to stay away from him before he gets you killed. The Doctor nearly got you killed when he opened up that void. You wanna risk death all over again?"

"Mum, we've had this conversation a million times. I trusted the Doctor and I trust Jonathon. Besides, at the moment he can't even leave Earth."

"Well, let's hope it stays that way. He's no good for you, Rose. You need to forget him and concentrate on working at Torchwood, settling down and having a family. Your father and I don't want you throwing your life away dating some alien."

"He's not alien anymore, Mum, he's human."

"He's half an alien and that's alien enough!" she retorted.

"You're being unfair."

"No, I'm being sensible. Leave him along and let him get on with his life. Just because the Doctor told you to mind him doesn't mean you should. You got hurt and nearly got killed being with the Doctor and someday the same thing will happen if you stay with him."

"I'm not gonna argue, Mum. I'm staying here tonight with Jonathon and that's final."

"Well, I suggest you stay there permanently then because I don't want him coming round here," Jackie said. "I also ended up being threatened more than once just because the Doctor decided to be in our lives."

"Fine, Mum, good night. I'll talk to ya when you're not angry anymore. Bye."

She sighed angrily and hung up.

"Rose, you can stay here anytime you need to," Jonathon said.

Rose smiled and took his hand.

"Thank you. I hate that she's doing this but if she won't accept you, I can't do anything about it," she said.

"Like I said, if you need to, my flat is yours, Rose."

"Thank you," she said, snuggling close to him. "Saves me the trouble of taking Boots back to the mansion."

"You're just obsessed with her, aren't you?" he said while she giggled.

She reached down and picked her up when she neared the sofa.

"I just love animals. The Doctor never had any in the TARDIS," she said, stroking her while Boots meowed and looked around.

"Well, that's not entirely true. He had a cat in his seventh life that he loved and…"

Rose looked at him while she was reaching for her beer.

"And?" she prompted.

"Well, in his sixth life he had a penguin as a companion."

Rose nearly choked on her beer. Jonathon giggled when she lowered it and gave him an odd look.

"Sorry, I don't think I heard that right. Sounded like you said the Doctor once had a penguin as a companion," she said.

"He did, name was Frobisher."

"Right, Jonathon, pull the other one."

"He did. He wasn't really a penguin, mind. He was a shape-shifting whifferdill named Avan Taklu and he was more humanoid in form but his whifferdill girlfriend took the form of a penguin so he did as well."

Rose gave him a skeptical look.

"I'm being serious. He was a detective and he traveled with the Doctor for awhile."

"Okay, if his name was Avan, why did he call himself Frobisher?"

"Oh, he did that because it sounded British and he thought that might please the Doctor."

"And did it?" Rose said amused.

"Eh, the Doctor didn't care one way or another."

"You are so full of shit, Jonathon."

"I am not! He really did travel with an alien penguin named Frobisher!"

Rose thought about that for a moment and then got a case of the giggles. Jonathon chuckled as she kept on giggling and had to set her beer back down.

"Okay, got an image of the Doctor walking around with this alien penguin behind him. Did this Frobisher talk?"

"Oh yes, talked incessantly."

Rose started giggling again as Jonathon reached over to the table beside him, grabbed a handful of popcorn and fed one to Boots who was now on his lap. Rose continued laughing which made Jonathon grin. He ate his popcorn slowly with the same smug grin while Rose tried desperately to calm herself down. But every time she stopped laughing, she would think of the penguin and start up again.

"Damn you, Jonathon, now I'm gonna be laughing all night," she said, giving his arm a playful shove.

"Well, in that case, I s'pose you won't need the popcorn since you won't be able to eat it," Jonathon said.

"No, I will stop laughing…eventually," she said.

Jonathon looked down when he felt Boots's claws and saw her climbing up his body. Rose laughed harder as the kitten mewed and scaled up him to his shoulder. Then once she got to his shoulder, she mewed and gave his face a sniff while he stared at her in shock.

"Have fun?" Jonathon said as Rose split her sides laughing, "I bet you're knackered after climbing Mount Jonathon, huh?"

Boots went up onto the back of the sofa and walked across it.

"Oi, get back here, you looney thing," Jonathon said as Rose laughed.

Rose turned her head and looked at Boots when she walked up to her face.

"Mew."

Rose got a fresh case of the giggles as Boots nuzzled her cheek. Jonathon rolled his eyes and grinned when she couldn't stop laughing.

"You're hopeless sometimes, Rose," he said as Rose swatted his arm.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

After awhile, they both got changed and got into bed together. Boots was in between them searching for somewhere to lie down while they lay facing one another in the darkness.

"Do you have to work tomorrow?" Rose asked him.

"Yes, but I'm off the next day. What about you?"

"Yeah, I have to work," she said, rolling her eyes. "I usually have to work since I'm project manager. Which means I'll probably have to face Dad tomorrow."

"What do you do there?"

"I head up new projects and look over and approve design plans for weapons and things like that. That's how I was able to convince them to build the dimension cannon."

"Rose, you really should find someplace else to work, after all Torchwood did, even if it is an alternate Torchwood. Still, they were the ones that came up with those void crossing devices. You don't wanna do something wrong that might destroy the fabric of space and time and then carry the blame the rest of your life."

"I know and I wanna find something else but nothing else pays as well as Torchwood."

"You could make pizzas."

Rose giggled.

"You know, that might be a good idea. Making pizzas with you wouldn't be that bad," she said.

She smiled at Boots who was snuggling up against Jonathon.

"Or…I could babysit your cat while you're away at work."

"Yeah, right, and I'd never see either of you again," he said while she giggled.

She scooted closer to Jonathon's body.

"Oh, so now you're trying to suffocate her because you can't have her," he said.

"No, just wanna be close to the two of ya," Rose replied.

"For the love of God, run Puss Puss before Dangermouse here squishes ya."

"I am not Dangermouse!" Rose said, slapping his chest.

"I'm sorry, DM, it was a slip of the tongue, won't happen again."

"Blimey, you're just as bad as the Doctor is," Rose said.

"Just thinking up a cute pet name for my girl," Jonathon said innocently.

"Okay, I get to call you Frobisher then," she said.

She giggled when Jonathon raised his eyebrow and then he grinned.

"Okay, if I get to call you Dangermouse, it'll be worth it," he said.

Rose leaned in and gave him a kiss. She sighed.

"I don't want to go in to work tomorrow," she said.

"Then don't. Frankly, I'd really wish you'd quit working there," he said. "Why don't you come and work with me?"

"At the pizza shop?"

He grinned.

"Sure! You and I working side by side making pizzas. You liked my friends, didn't ya?"

"Yeah, I did."

"Well I think they like you so come and join our little family."

Rose laughed at that.

"That sounds wonderful but I need to stay a bit longer so I can figure out a way to get us off Earth."

"Oh yeah, forgot about that," Jonathon said, his spirits sinking.

"Don't worry, I'll put all my time and energy into finding a way for us to escape this planet," she said.

"Well, hurry it up," he teased. "Because unlike the Doctor, I can't stay young forever."

Rose fell silent as she fingered his pajama top.

"Rose?" Jonathon said when she didn't say anything after a couple of minutes. "What's wrong?"

"So frail, so fragile..." she murmured.

"What is?"

Her eyes met his.

"This body," she said. "This body with its one heart. So fragile."

Jonathon put his hand over hers.

"I'll be careful," he said. "I won't let anything happen to me."

Rose undid a couple of the buttons on the top and slid her fingers inside. Jonathon's heart raced at the touch of her fingertips and he felt himself becoming aroused and wanting her in the worst way.

"Oh Jonathon, my Jonathon," she whispered. "You were made just for me."

Jonathon's heart swelled with love and he gently brushed the hair away from the sides of her face. Rose smiled when Boots stirred and purring, walked up to her face.

"Hey, Puss Cat," she said as Boots snuggled up under her chin. "I meant Jonathon was made for us."

Jonathon stroked the side of her head as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of his fingers against her face.

"Jonathon," she whispered. "My Jonathon."

"My Rose," Jonathon whispered back. "You are the best thing that ever happened to me."

"And I feel the same way about you," Rose whispered.

She hesitated a moment and then kissed his cheek. Jonathon's eyes shut as his body warmed and he gently put his hands on Rose's face and stroked her left cheek with the pad of his thumb. He then leaned in and kissed her lips, a kiss Rose eagerly returned.

"Rose, please tell me if I'm going too far," he said when he stopped. "I'll stop, I promise."

"You're fine, Jonathon, keep going," Rose whispered.

Jonathon's hands roamed down her body. He rubbed and caressed her ribs and back as Rose closed her eyes and sighed contentedly. Jonathon took his time, doing everything the Doctor used to do, afraid to take it any further than that for fear of upsetting her. Rose moaned softly and Jonathon felt himself becoming even more aroused.

"Jonathon, stay with me forever," Rose said softly. "Don't leave me."

"I won't, Rose. I swear I won't."

"My love."

Jonathon's heart soared when he heard her whisper that. He took his hands back up to her cheeks and cupped them as he leaned in for another kiss. His eyes widened in surprise and delight when Rose reached up under his pajama top and began to caress and stroke his stomach and chest, touching gently the fine, soft hairs that grew there. While he did that, Boots got up. Mewing, she walked over to him. Jonathon chuckled and kissed her head.

"My two favorite women," he said softly.

Rose giggled when Boots slowly rubbed against his chin with her head and body, purring softly while she did it. Rose took one hand out and stroked her. Boots mewed and walked over to her face, gently butting her nose and then rubbing down her mouth and chin. Jonathon laughed when she wiped the cat hair off her wet lips.

"She was just being affectionate," he said to her.

"Well, she can be affectionate without making me eat cat hair," Rose replied.

Jonathon sat up in bed and picked Boots up.

"Two's company, three's a crowd, mate," he said to her. "I'm afraid it's the sofa for you for awhile at least. I want to get intimate with my girl and I can't do that with you putting your arse in our faces."

He got up and held her near while he walked into the living room. He put her down gently on the sofa and smiled when Boots mewed and walked over to the edge, begging to be picked up again.

"I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to wait awhile before you can get back in bed with us again. I have a girlfriend and she doesn't want to squish you when she puts her body up against mine. So you behave and don't cough up hairballs or vomit or pee or poop or scratch the furniture and I'll let you know when you can come back to the bed, yeah?"

He kissed her head and stroked her body once before he leaned back up and went back into the bedroom.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

After Jonathon came back inside the bedroom, he lay back down and took Rose in his arms.

"Boots is gonna be upset you did that," Rose said.

"I'll make it up to her," he replied.

He lowered his lips to hers and they began to kiss passionately.

"Mew."

Rose began to laugh through her nose when they heard Boots mewing by the bed. Jonathon broke off the kiss and looked down at her. she was sitting by the bed meowing at him.

"You won't have it so easy when she's old enough to jump up here," Rose said.

"Sorry, Bootsy, I need time alone with Rose," he said to her.

He turned his attention back to Rose.

"Although...It'll be hard to concentrate with her meowing at me," he said.

"Well, I'll have to drown her out then," Rose said.

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After an hour of kissing and caressing, they decided to stop for the night and Jonathon put Boots back on the bed.

"There you go," he said. "You're no longer banished from the bed, my Puss Puss."

Boots let out a combination purr and meow and came closer to his chest. Rose watched while she kneaded the mattress with her claws and then lay down beside him. Rose snuggled close to him and meowed as she mimed kneading his chest with her fingernails. She giggled as Jonathon raised his eyebrow.

"Oh, so now you need to go have a lie down on the sofa, eh?" he said.

Rose thought about that for a moment.

"Nah, I like it in here," she said.

She gave him a kiss and sighed as he rubbed her arm.

"I'm so glad you let me in," she said. "You need me as much as you need Boots. We're both calming influences on ya."

"I s'pose the Doctor knew what he was doing then," he replied.

"You're not a bad person. You're not a threat. You're just a lonely guy," she said. "Like I said, you were made for me and I sincerely believe that."

"I'm glad you think so. Seems like that they only purpose I have in life."

"No, don't start that again, please. You're not worthless, you were meant to be here."

She gave him a kiss.

"I love you, my Frobisher."

She giggled when Jonathon rolled his eyes.

"Back at ya, DM," he said as Rose swatted his arm.

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The next morning they had breakfast and after kissing him goodbye and promising to pick him up after work, Rose drove over to Torchwood. When she arrived, she said hello to the receptionist, Judy, but avoided everyone else as she got in the lift and went up to her office. The office was spacious, thanks to the fact that her father was Pete Tyler. It had white walls and was cheery looking. On both sides of the walls were framed photos of flowers. Under the picture on the left side were a couple of filing cabinets and on the right side was a large leather couch. in the middle sat her mahogany desk. It was cluttered, filled with paperwork and manilla folders and some odds and ends including photos of her family. As she sat down in her leather office chair, her eyes drifted to a photo in the corner. It was a photo of the Doctor standing at his console and grinning while he waved. It had been in her pocket the day she went over the void. She kept it there as a reminder of what she was going back to the whole time they had been working on the dimension cannon but now she took it and stared at it in silence.

"Sorry, Doctor," she finally said to the photo. "But you're not first place in my life anymore. I need to get a photo of Jonathon now."

"What's the difference?"

She looked up and saw Pete standing in the doorway, staring at her with his arms folded over his chest.

"Plenty," Rose said.

"Oh really? Because he's the Doctor's clone which means he's identical to him," he said coming into the room.

"No, he's not. He's a mixture of the Doctor and Donna."

"Yes, but he's still descended from the Doctor," Pete said, walking up to the desk, placing his hands on it and leaning in. "And I think you should stay away from him, same as your mum."

"Well, I'm not gonna, so you might as well forget it," Rose said, shrugging as she glanced down at some paperwork.

Pete sighed.

"You upset your mother last night, you realise that, right?" he said.

"All too well."

"Rose, she's just concerned about you. We both are."

"You know what? I'm tired of your "concern," Rose said."You two are part of the reason why Jonathon is depressed and angry and thinks he's worthless. He's had a tough time since he was born and he doesn't need you two adding to it. Leave him alone and me alone as well."

"Rose, what if some monster comes looking for him or some old foe of the Doctor?"

"Here?" Rose said in disbelief. "No one knows the Doctor here."

"You don't know that for certain."

"Okay, well, if there are old foes looking for him and they find us, we'll do what the Doctor and I did before, fight em."

Pete sighed.

"Rose..."

"Dad, I'm working for Torchwood, don't we fight aliens too?" she said.

"Yes, but..."

"Well, then," Rose said, cutting him off.

"Rose, you're playing with fire here and you're gonna get burned."

Rose ignored him as she went back to her paperwork. Pete glared at her, spun around and stomped out of the room muttering about how Rose was just as stubborn as her mother was.

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After work, Rose hurried out to her car without telling Pete goodbye. Eager to see the man she loved, she got in and sped off, going as fast as she dared to the pizza shop. After the confrontation with her dad, she wanted nothing more than to see him again. she reached the front of the pizza shop in twenty minutes and honked the horn. Jonathon came outside and walked over to the driver's side. He mimed rolling down the window and she hit the button.

"Hey," Jonathon said as the window went down, "everyone's going down the pub and they wanted to know if you and me would like to come with them. Suzanne has something she wants to tell us."

"Sure, sounds fun," Rose said.

"Okay, let me tell them. Be back in a mo," Jonathon said.

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They headed to a pub about fifteen minutes from the pizza shop and ordered pints of lager and bitter. They each downed one, talking and laughing with each other before Suzanne finally asked for silence. Everyone leaned in, trying to hear her over the loud music coming from the jukebox in the corner.

"Mates, there was a message for me on my answering machine after I got home last night. My doctor phoned me and told me that the chemo wasn't successful. I'm not in remission."

Everyone stared at her in shock.

"Oh God," Claudia said. "Can they do anything else?"

"I'm not sure, but they're gonna try everything they can to contain it before it spreads," Suzanne said. "I just wanted to let you know and I'll keep you updated. Don't worry, I'm going to get through this and come out cancer free. You just watch."

She smiled at the concerned looks on their faces.

"Don't worry, I said. I just wanted you to be aware of that because I might have to take a few days off to go in hospital for tests and things, that's all. Now, let's order another round and have some fun, yeah?"

They all nodded but as soon as Suzanne got up to order more beers, all of them looked at each other with dread on their faces. 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

On the way back to Jonathon's flat, neither one said anything. Rose's spirits were completely in the gutter as she thought about her new friend possibly dying from breast cancer. She had been fortunate in that up until now none of her friends or family had ever suffered from it. Her grandmother on her mother's side had died of lung cancer when she was 76, a heavy smoker all her life which was why neither Jackie nor she ever picked up the habit. But that was it; the other members of her family died of heart failure or strokes or went in their sleep. This was brand new to her, but as terrible as she felt about it, she figured Jonathon felt a whole lot worse. He hadn't said a word to her since they left the pub, just kept on staring out the side window, lost in his thoughts. She didn't want to say anything since she figured he needed time to process it so she kept her thoughts to herself and drove.

"Rose?"

Rose looked over at Jonathon who had finally looked her way.

"Yes?"

"Do you believe in God?" he asked.

"Yeah, I do," Rose said.

Jonathon thought about that.

"I don't know," he finally said. "I mean, neither the Doctor nor I have ever seen evidence of a higher being guiding everything. The Doctor's studied the bible and the Christian religion but…"

He sighed.

"I s'pose what I'm getting at is the whole concept of prayer. I know that people pray for those who are sick but…I don't know if I should pray for Suzanne because I don't know if it'll do any good. I'm not him entirely anymore, I have a human side and with it comes that urge to connect with a higher power and be spiritual but there is still the Time Lord side of me that thinks it's a load of malarkey. I feel conflicted, Rose, is what I'm on about."

Rose's heart ached for him and she reached out and took his hand, giving it a squeeze.

"I don't think it would hurt anyone to pray for her, Jonathon, if that's what you want to do. The worse that could happen is nothing happens and she dies but you never know, people have gone into remission and she could still do that even if the chemo didn't work. You just have to be hopeful and have faith."

Jonathon nodded and turned his gaze to the window as Rose squeezed his hand. Suddenly he pounded the top of the dashboard with his fist causing Rose to jump and nearly swerve the car into the other lane.

"Damn him!" Jonathon snarled.

"Damn who?" Rose said in shock.

"The Doctor. Damn him for leaving me stranded without a TARDIS. If I had one, I could take her somewhere where they'd be able to cure her completely. If she dies, it'll be his fault!"

Rose bit her lip to keep from crying but she could no longer hold it back when Jonathon lowered his head and began to cry softly. She looked around and pulled off to the curb. She stopped the car and turned it off and gathered him into her arms as he wept.

"Oh God, Rose, I don't want her to die," he said between sobs.

Tears ran down Rose's cheeks as she kissed the top of his head and rubbed his back. She swallowed hard as she continued to kiss and caress him, trying to ease the pain he felt and let him know that things would be alright, no matter what happened. They stayed that way for about twenty minutes until Jonathon finally slowed his tears and his weeping subsided into sobs and sniffing. Rose kissed his cheeks and Jonathon kissed back when her lips came near his.

"Let me take you home," Rose whispered. "Let's go to your flat and we can relax or go to bed, whatever you want to do. Is that okay?"

He swallowed and nodded and Rose kissed his cheeks again.

"She'll be alright, Jonathon. You just have to believe that," she whispered.

He nodded again and Rose nuzzled his cheek with her nose before she started the car back up again. She held Jonathon's hand while he looked out the window and she pulled out again into traffic and hurried for the flat as fast as she could.

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Once they got home, Jonathon decided to go to bed instead of sitting up and watching TV. Rose decided to do the same to keep him company. While he showered and composed himself, Rose made sure Boots was fed. While she ate her cat food, Rose knelt down and stroked her back sending a silent prayer to God for both Suzanne and Jonathon. Once she was finished, she moved back into his bedroom and got changed there. She pulled the covers down, got in and pulled them back up, waiting for Jonathon to come in. After twenty minutes, she heard the shower cut off and another ten minutes after that; Jonathon came into the bedroom in his pajamas with his hair slightly damp. He managed a small smile for her and Rose smiled back as she pulled down the covers on his side of the bed. Jonathon shut out the light and crawled in with her.

"Feel better?" Rose said softly.

He nodded.

"But…" he said. "I had another thought while I was in there."

"What about?" Rose said softly as she rubbed his side.

He cupped her face with his hands.

"I was thinking that what will happen to Suzanne is going to happen to me now," he said. "When I die, there'll be no regeneration, nothing to save me."

Rose swallowed hard and nodded as Jonathon stroked her cheek.

"And this body is in its late thirties and male humans don't tend to live as long as females which means I might go first."

Rose lowered her eyes and contemplated that while she continued to rub his side.

"If we do make it to old age, I'm going to be just as old and infirm as you are. There'll be no young Doctor to love so are you sure you want to be with me?"

Rose eyes flicked up to his and she gave him a shocked look.

"Yes, Jonathon, I want nothing more than to be with you for the rest of my life," she said.

"It's just that I'm mortal…"

"And so am I which is why you're perfect for me. Jonathon, everyone dies eventually, some leave sooner than others. I love Suzanne, she's a great mate, but fate dealt her these cards and she's going to have to live with what happens, whether or not she goes into remission. If she dies, then at least you can say you were her friend and were there for her. I know this is new to you since Time Lords regenerate…"

He shook his head.

"Death isn't new to me, Rose. At least it's not new to the Doctor. He had companions die before and I expected that someday I would have to deal with death but not this soon, not when I'm finally finding a little happiness in life."

Rose smiled sadly.

"Happiness is a brief and fleeting thing and most of the time we just have to learn to cherish it when it comes so we can have the happy memories when it leaves."

Jonathon stared at her.

"That's profound coming from a chav," he said.

He giggled when Rose smacked his arm and he gave her a kiss.

"Just trying to lighten the mood a bit. I know I haven't been much fun to be around since we got out of the pub."

"And I understand that. Don't worry. I'm not exactly happy about it either. I just want you to remain calm and find the strength to go into work and pal around with Suzanne. If these are her last moments on Earth then let her go into the afterlife knowing she had some fun with you and all her friends, yeah?"

Jonathon nodded.

"And don't stay angry at the Doctor. I'm sure if he knew that this was gonna happen he would have given you a way to save her or stayed and saved her himself. You have to let that anger go, love. You can't go around your whole life angry at him because it'll do you more harm than good and you'll end up dying even younger than you're s'posed to. Just let things be and go with the flow, alright?"

"Alright," he said.

Rose kissed him and laid her head against his. She grinned when she heard the familiar mewing beside the bed.

"Someone's finished eating," she whispered to Jonathon.

"And for once, I'm glad she's around to sleep with us," he said to her.

"Me too."

Rose rolled over and picked her up. She rolled back and set her down between them. She smiled tenderly when Boots went over and rubbed up against Jonathon's chest while she purred loudly.

"I'm so glad now you found her," Rose said as Boots lay down beside him.

"Me too," Jonathon said, stroking Boot's back.

They lay there for about an hour, stroking Boots and talking to each other before they finally decided to go to sleep. Rose snuggled down close to Jonathon and he kissed her forehead tenderly before he laid his head on the pillow and closed his eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

_I can't sleep any longer so I'm up making another entry in this diary. I tried to sleep all night but I can't stop thinking of what Suzanne said. I'm so afraid of losing her. She's far too young to die from something that could be cured if only I had a fucking TARDIS. This is so unfair. Once again, the universe sees fit to mete out punishment and I suppose not even the clone of the Doctor can escape the wrath. I have to work later today and already I'm nervous. What do I say to Suzanne? I know she wants us to treat her the same as we always have but this isn't like Adric where the death was sudden and unexpected. I'm faced now with the possibility of seeing her slowly weaken and die in front of my eyes and that terrifies me because that's the last thing I want to witness. I know I'm being selfish but this is a new and scary thing to me. With the Doctor he could always get back in his TARDIS and go. I'm stuck here for the time being unless and until Rose finds a way for us to leave and in that time, I'm gonna watch my new best friend succumb to a stupid human disease. I want so much to just run around and scream and kick something right now and I suppose that's what the Doctor was on about saying I was like his ninth personality and maybe I am but if he were here, I'm sure he'd be just as pissed off as I am._

"Jonathon?"

Jonathon glanced up and saw Rose standing on the other side of the table.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her bleary eyes focusing on the diary.

Jonathon lowered his eyes in embarrassment.

"I...uh...started keeping a diary about a week ago," he said to her.

"Oh," Rose said, drawing near.

She held up her hand when he closed the diary.

"I won't look. I'm more respectful than that," she said to him."Everyone needs to sort out their thoughts and I'm glad you're doing that because I was gonna suggest you do that anyway."

She laid her hand on his cheek.

"Can't sleep?" she said.

He shook his head.

"I'm nervous about going in tomorrow and seeing Suzanne. I tried to sleep but the thought of her dying from cancer just keeps floating through my mind."

Rose gave him a sympathetic look as she pulled a chair out and sat down beside him.

"Just act as you normally do, Jonathon. I think Suzanne told us that so there would be no surprises when she becomes sick enough to go in hospital. She doesn't want you to stop living your life and never laugh or have fun again. I'm sure she wants things as normal as possible."

"It's just that...I can't help but think that I might die the same way someday."

Rose nodded.

"I think everyone has those thoughts when someone they care about falls ill," she said. "It's because you're dealing with your own mortality now. The Doctor doesn't have to worry about this...at least not until his last life, anway. So he's probably never given death much thought. But you...you're stuck here in a half human body that will age and sicken and eventually die so now you're left to ponder what will happen and what comes afterwards."

"I just wish there was a way to get in touch with the Doctor. To go and beg him on my knees to help Suzanne. I don't care if he hates me, it doesn't matter if he despises me forever, I just want him to help her."

Rose felt her heart break at that and got up from her seat. She came around behind him, wrapped her arms around him and kissed the top of his head.

"There has to be a way, Rose. There's got to be a way to find him or find a cure for her. I won't stop hoping and trying to find a solution until the day she dies."

Rose squeezed her eyes shut as tears fell down her cheeks. She felt Jonathon heaving in her arms and knew he was crying silently.

"I'll try to find a way, Jonathon," she said. "I'll try to find a way to get in touch with the Doctor again while I'm at Torchwood."

"No," Jonathon said in a ragged voice. "I can't ask that of you. You're already trying to find a way for us to get off the planet."

Rose came around to his side and knelt down.

"But I want to help Suzanne as well," she said. "If there isn't a way to contact the Doctor then perhaps Torchwood has a solution. I want her to live, same as you."

"Oh Rose, you must think I'm a big wimp," he said as a tear streamed down his cheek. "Look at me, second time tonight I've cried."

"I don't think you're a wimp. I think you're human. This is your human side coming through, Jonathon. And It's alright to cry. I don't mind one bit. Cry as much as you need to, okay?"

Jonathon cupped her face with his hands.

"Thank you, Rose. Thank you for being here for me and understanding what I'm going through."

Rose stood up, put her hands on his shoulders and leaned in to give him a long, passionate kiss. She then kissed away the tears on his cheeks.

"I understand, my love," she said. "I know you're still trying to sort out this new life and come to terms with who you are which is why I'm glad you finally stopped pushing me away because I want to help you. You don't have to be afraid to be who you are around me and if that means crying when you feel like it, go ahead. I won't hold it against you or mock you or tell you to grow up and be a man, yeah? I just want you to do whatever you need to do to feel better and release all the pain and anger you feel inside."

"Thank you. Thank you."

Rose held him close as he murmured thank you to her several times. She rubbed his back when he fell silent.

"I'm here, my love, I'll always be here for you when no one else will," she said.

"I love you, Rose. I know now that you were right. I was created for you and we were meant to be," he said, looking at her. "You and I understand one another completely and I'm so glad that he dropped you off here with me because it terrifies me thinking where I'd be if he didn't and left me here all alone."

Rose swallowed hard and nodded. She ran her hand down his face and pressed her lips to his forehead, willing all the love she had in her heart into his mind so there would never be any doubt there that she loved him. She laid her forehead against his and lingered there for a few minutes just letting him calm down and relax and get past the sorrow so he could feel some relief.

"Love, do you wanna come back to bed and try to sleep?" she said after a few minutes. "I think Boots might be getting cold in there."

He let out a brief laugh at that and nodded.

"Yeah, does me no good to stay up all night and fall asleep at work," he said.

Rose nodded. She took his hand and squeezed it as he stood up.

"It'll be alright, Jonathon. We'll try to find a solution and if there isn't one, we'll help Suzanne die a calm, peaceful death surrounded by her friends."

Jonathon nodded. Rose stepped in front of him and with a loving smile, led him back into the bedroom so he could finally get some rest.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Jonathon had bad dreams shortly after falling asleep again. He dreamt that he had found the Doctor again and had convinced him to let him speak to him face to face inside the TARDIS.

"Please, you have to help me," Jonathon said when he got inside it. "Not me, but my friend, Suzanne. She needs help. Please find it within your hearts to save her."

The Doctor was sitting on the jump seat looking dejected. HIs jacket was off and in a heap on the floor beside the console. His shirt was wet and rumpled and his hair was plastured to his head. Jonathon couldn't help but pity him. He neared as close as he dared, half afraid the Doctor would lash out at him but the Doctor barely noticed his presence.

"Doctor, please, Suzanne's gonna die if we don't do something," he implored.

The Doctor raised his head and Jonathon swallowed hard when he saw the world weary look on his face.

"Everyone dies," he said in a pained voice.

"Yes, I know that but if there's a way to save her..."

"I don't know what you want me to do to save her, I couldn't even save Donna."

"How'd ya mean?" Jonathon said.

His heart sank as he realized exactly what he meant and he staggered back to the console.

"No, it can't be," he said.

The Doctor nodded grimly.

"She's gone. The real her," he said to Jonathon. "She's dead for all intents and purposes and I can never see her again because if she realizes who I am, it'll destroy her."

Jonathon flinched when he got up but the Doctor only laid a hand on his shoulder as he gave him a sympathetic look.

"There's nothing I can do. I can't bring the TARDIS over, its sealed up again," he said sadly.

"But there has to be a way. You're the Doctor. If anyone can save her, it's you."

"I can't, Jonathon. I can't rip apart reality for one woman. I couldn't do that for Rose and I can't do that for Suzanne. Like Sarah said, everything has its time and everything ends."

Jonathon sank into the jump seat, feeling like his heart was going to stop. the Doctor laid his hand on his shoulder.

"Forgive me," he said to him. "Don't be angry, Jonathon. You have Rose and a whole life ahead of you with her."

"But Suzanne..."

"People die every day, Jonathon. Even you will die one day," he said gently as he squeezed his shoulder. "You can't save everybody, all you can do is be there for her and if she doesn't have much longer to live, make every day count for her."

Jonathon frowned. He suddenly got a sense that this was no ordinary dream. The Doctor, sensing his thoughts, chuckled.

"I'm here and so are you. You've gone out of your body and our souls have met in here in my TARDIS," he said, sitting down beside him. "You came because you want Suzanne to live and you wanted me to help. But there's nothing I can do for her in the waking world. I'm sorry, my friend."

Jonathon frowned.

"Friend?" he said in disbelief.

The Doctor smiled.

"Even though I treated you badly, deep inside I know why you destroyed the Daleks. You did it out of good intentions, not evil and that's why I spared you and let you be with Rose."

He chuckled at the shocked look on his double's face.

"I could have imprisoned you for all eternity. Taken you to Volag Nok and let you rot for the crime of genocide. But I didn't because subconciously I know you're a good person, Jonathon. That's why you're here now begging for my help."

"But there must be a way. There's got to be. It can't end like this, not for her."

"I wish I could help you, Jonathon, I really do, but I can't risk the safety of the universe."

"Then why didn't you give me a TARDIS?" he said angrily. "Why didn't you do it for Rose? You want to condemn her to Earth for the rest of her life? She belongs out in the stars, you know that."

"I know and I'm sorry. I should have done that but things were hectic and confusing for all of us..."

"And you wanted to dump us off as soon as you could so you wouldn't have to deal with us," he spat out.

"No, I wanted to get you away from the battle as quickly as I could because I knew you needed the rest. You need to sort things out."

"I'm doing that but I also want my friend to be safe and healthy."

"Well sometimes that's not possible, Jonathon. Sometimes you have to let people go."

"No," Jonathon said, shaking his head as he stood up. "You may have given up on others but I'm not going to, not while there's a fighting bone left in my body."

The Doctor smiled at that and stood up. He put a hand on his shoulder.

"Then go and do it. Go and give it your best effort and use that brilliant brain of yours. I may not be able to help her but you and Rose can. Go and do what you were meant to do, Jonathon. You're more than a pizza maker, you're a Time Lord and it's time for you to start living your destiny."

Jonathon was shocked by this. The Doctor gave him a sad smile.

"Look at me. Look at what I've become. Life has worn me down. My hearts are broken. I don't think I'll even take any more companions with me from here on out. But you, you have a future, a great future in store although you may not see it now. You don't have to come to me to save Suzanne. I think you are more than capable of saving her yourself. I know I was pessimistic before, but that's just me. My future is the one that looks bleak, mate, not yours."

"Don't talk like that," Jonathon said, shaking his head. "You can rise above what's happened. You can't give up either."

He smiled that sad smile again and nodded.

"You're right. We both have to press on and struggle through everything, come what may. But you need to stop thinking of yourself as less than worthy because you're not, Jonathon. You are a Time Lord, now go and be one. Build something that'll take you and Rose to the stars where you belong and find a way to save your friend. Who knows? Maybe even tell her the truth and you and Rose can have your first companion."

Jonathon thought that over while the Doctor walked over to the console.

"And now, Mister Threefold Man, I must bid you adieu. I fell asleep on the seat here and I feel like I'm about to wake up."

He walked over and embraced Jonathon.

"Forgive me for what I did to you and Rose but it was necessary. You had to be seperated from me to grow into your own person and step away from my shadow so you can be just as great as I am. So that's your task now, my friend. To find who you truly are and become him."

He patted him on the shoulder when Jonathon nodded and smiled at that. The Doctor gave him a warm hug.

"And say hello to Rose for me," he said. "It hurt to see you with her and hear you say the words to her but I'm glad you did. She needed to hear them, not from me, from you because you're the one she's meant to be with. I sincerely believe that."

The Doctor began to fade away.

"Goodbye, my friend. Take care," he said before he disappeared.

Jonathon stood and stared at the empty console room for a moment before he suddenly woke up and found himself back in his body with Rose and Boots fast asleep at his side. 


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

When he opened his eyes, Jonathon saw the light of dawn outside their window. He glanced at Rose and smiled when he saw she was fast asleep with Boots snuggled up beside her.

_He's right,_ he thought to himself. _The Doctor's right. I have so much to live for. I can't wallow in self-pity any longer. I have to be the person I was meant to be._

He slowly got up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, preparing to get up so he could use the toilet.

"Jonathon?"

He looked back at Rose who was staring at him with bleary eyes. He bent over and kissed her cheek.

"S'alright, I just need to use the loo. I'm coming back to bed," he whispered.

He smiled as Boots yawned and stretched her front legs briefly before she put her head back on them and fell back to sleep.

"Are you feeling better?" Rose whispered.

Jonathon debated whether or not to tell her about the dream and then decided to save it for later. He nodded and kissed her lips.

"I feel better. I've been sleeping and I'll sleep a bit more when I come back from the loo.

Rose nodded. She watched silently as Jonathon got up and walked towards the bathroom. Once he was inside, she shut her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

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A couple of hours later, Rose woke and fixed them breakfast. Jonathon woke when the smell of bacon and eggs hit his nostrils and he saw Boots walking around on the bed.

"Good morning, little misses," he said to her.

He gasped when Boots spun around and smacked his hand with her paw.

"Ow, you little bugger. That hurt. I see we shall have to get your claws trimmed," he said.

He tentatively touched her back and shook his head when she let him pet her and walked around and around and through his hand.

"You're awfully techy this mornin', must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed."

He sat up, took her in his hands and gave her a kiss on the head while she purred and kneaded his pajama top.

"Better not get too comfortable," he said, standing up. "I'm about to put you down again."

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Rose turned the car off when she parked beside the pizza shop.

"Love, are you sure you're gonna be alright today?" she asked Jonathon.

He nodded.

"I'll be okay, Rose. I'll treat Suzanne normally. I won't be walking on eggshells or saying inappropriate things to her."

"Good because like I told ya, I think she wants everyone to treat her normally and not pity her," Rose replied.

Jonathon squeezed her hand.

"Rose, I gotta tell you something tonight. Something I saw in my dreams. You're coming back, right?"

"I think so, yeah."

Jonathon took hold of Rose's hand.

"Rose, come and live with me full time. We can split the rent. I'd rather you stayed with me than live with Jackie and Pete and have to listen to them go on and on about how you're dating me when you shouldn't be. Just come away from all that. You and I can help each other plus you'll have unlimited access to Boots."

"I will?" Rose said while Jonathon chuckled. "Well, that tears it. I'll come over and live with you just for that perk."

Jonathon's heart soared and he kissed Rose on the lips.

"I'll pack some of my things then before I come pick you up," Rose said to him. "I'll leave work a few hours before you do."

Jonathon nodded.

"I have the day off tomorrow," he said.

Rose made a face.

"I don't."

"Pretend you're sick and take the day off. Let's have a get to know each other day tomorrow," he said. "You deserve a rest from that place, Rose. What d'ya say?"

She grinned.

"You can be quite persuasive, just like the Doctor," she said.

She giggled and shoved his red hat onto his head.

"Oh no, I messed up your tousle with the pizza hat," she said.

He grinned and took her around the waist.

"No worries, little one, I'm sure there'll be other opportunities to mess up my hair," he said.

Rose raised her eyebrow as he winked. She gave him another kiss and squeezed his hand before he got out of the car. He shut the door and Rose sighed sadly as she watched him walk into work.

"Don't worry, Jonathon, it'll work out somehow," she murmured before she put the car in gear and drove off.

Suzanne looked up and smiled when Jonathon came in the back.

"There he is!" she said happily. "Thought you might skive off work today."

She frowned when he came over and took hold of her arms.

"How are you feeling today?" he said.

She sighed.

"I'm fine, Jonathon, really I am. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten all of you last night. I'm not going to die right in front of you, I promise. I appreciate your concern but I've dealt with this for the past few months and I'll be fine."

She gave him a peck on the cheek.

"But thanks for thinking of me," she said.

Jonathon nodded. He suddenly had an idea.

"Could you come over with me when Rose picks me up tonight? I wanna talk to both of you."

Suzanne shrugged.

"Sure."

"Good because I need to tell you both something."

Suzanne was curious but she knew they were about to get swamped so she told Jonathon to start making some pizzas. Jonathon, grateful for the distraction, grabbed a few of the orders and went to get some dough.

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Rose set her purse down on her desk and slumped down in her chair. She was reading through some proposals from R and D when she noticed Pete was at the door again. She sighed and put down the form in her hand.

"What?" she said.

"Are you ever coming back to the mansion?"

"No, I'm moving in with Jonathon," she said to him. "I'll be back to get some of my things after work."

"Rose, you're making a big mistake."

"Then it's my mistake to make," Rose said, looking back at the form.

She tried to ignore him and gasped when Pete stomped up and slammed the paper down on her desk.

"He is dangerous, Rose. He's gonna get you killed!"

"So will a speeding car but I don't hear you forbidding me to cross the street!"

"So that's it then? You're just gonna swan off and never see us again?"

"I didn't say that," Rose said. "But Jonathon's the one I love and it's time I moved out of the mansion and stayed with him."

"Your mum's not gonna like this."

He jumped back when Rose slammed her hand down on the desk.

"SOD MY MUM! I'M AN ADULT AND I'LL DO WHATEVER THE FUCK I WANT!" she screamed at him.

"You know, I never really wanted children and now I see why," Pete said. "I knew Jacks was a handful and I knew her kids would be the same and you know what? I was right. You're just as pigheaded and obstinate as your mother is, makes me wish we had the Yorkie back. At least that Rose behaved."

Rose stared at him in shock as he stomped out of the room. Letting out an enraged yell, she picked up a glass paperweight and threw it across the room.

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"Goodbye, mates, see you tomorrow," Suzanne said, hugging everyone after their shift was done.

"Call us and let us know if you need anything," Richard said.

"Yes, don't worry about the time, the moment you need us give us a tinkle," George added, hugging her.

"I will everyone, I'm fine, honestly. See you tomorrow."

They waved at her and she followed Jonathon out the door.

"I see I'm not the only one who worries," Jonathon said to her.

"Yeah well we've been together a while so naturally they're gonna worry about me. It's touching that you're doing the same since you've only known me for a few days."

"I like you. I don't have to wait years before I worry about someone being ill," he said.

Suzanne squeezed his hand.

"Thanks, Jonathon," she said.

They glanced over when Rose pulled up to the curb. She put the car in park and sighed as she got out.

"Dad and mum are officially angry at me now so I'm out of there for good," she said.

"Why are they angry at you?" Suzanne said.

Rose shook her head as she took Jonathon's hand.

"They don't approve of him. They think he's reckless," she said to her.

Suzanne nearly had a heart attack.

"Him?" she said. "Jonathon reckless? He's the most responsible person in the shop! In exactly what way is he reckless?"

Rose was about to answer when Jonathon stopped her.

"Rose, I want to bring Suzanne back with us. I need to talk to you both and I'll explain how I'm reckless to her."

Rose nodded.

"Course, you're more than welcome to come with us to the flat. We'll pick up a pizza on the way there, yeah?"

Suzanne nodded and followed them to the car. They got inside and Rose looked out at the traffic before easing her way in.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

"Finally, I get to see the flat," Suzanne said as they all walked in the door.

She grinned when Boots came running up to them.

"Hey there!" she said, picking her up. "You're a cutie. You must be Boots."

She stroked her as Boots meowed and snuggled with her. Jonathon came in carrying a large pizza box, closed the door and told Rose and Suzanne to sit down while he went to get some wine for all of them. Suzanne put Boots down and helped Rose with her suitcases.

"So this is your new home, eh?" she said to Rose.

"Yeah, I feel more at home here than I do at the mansion. That place is too big for me, too cold and impersonal. I like it here."

"I bet. Especially with Jonathon here," she said."You and him make a cute couple."

"Thanks. He's my life. I can't imagine being without him now," Rose said as they set the suitcases by the sofa and sat down.

A few minutes later, Jonathon came back in holding three wine glasses filled with red wine. Rose and Suzanne thanked him as they took theirs and he sat down beside him in the sofa.

"I wanted to bring you here tonight because I want to explain a few things before we eat," Jonathon said to them. "A few things about me and what I've been through. But first I have to ask you Suzanne if you believe in the existance of aliens?"

"Yeah, I do. I mean, I've never seen one up close but it's daft to think that we're the only life in the universe," Suzanne said.

Jonathon glanced at Rose and saw the shocked look on her face when she finally realized what he was going to say to her. Jonathon winked at her and took a sip of wine.

"Well, what I'm about to say may sound fantastical, but I swear it's all true. You've known me for a few days now and as you said, I'm a very responsible bloke and not given to making up wild stories."

Suzanne nodded.

"I just want you to keep an open mind and listen to what I have to say," he said. "And if you need proof that what I'm about to say is true, you can ask Rose because she can vouch for me."

"Okay," Suzanne said. "I'm listening."

"Also for the moment, please keep this to yourself. Don't tell George or anyone else, yeah? I'm doing this because I trust you and because I want you to know that I'm trying to find a cure for your cancer, we both are."

"Jonathon, no, you don't have to do that," Suzanne said.

"But I want to because saving people is a part of who I am," Jonathon said.

Suzanne was confused but remained silent as Jonathon took another sip of wine. He sighed, mentally preparing himself for what he had to say.

"Suzanne, I'm part alien," he said to her.

Both he and Rose looked at her. Suzanne stared at him silently for a moment, not sure what to say.

"You're joking, right?" she finally said.

"No, I'm not."

Suzanne looked at Rose.

"Seriously?" she said.

"very seriously," she said. "He's telling the truth."

"Okay, mate, how are you part alien?" she said, looking him over.

Jonathon took another sip of wine and told her about the Doctor, his birth and the battle on the Crucible. Suzanne sat in a stunned silence, her wine untouched as she listened quietly to his story. Boots came up and nudged Rose's leg while Jonathon talked. Rose picked her up and put her beside her and Boots quietly curled up in a ball and fell asleep beside her.

After almost two hours of explanation, Jonathon finally came to the end of his story. Suzanne was both shocked and spellbound and she shook her head slowly.

"This is beyond weird," she said.

She touched his right hand.

"This used to belong to the Doctor."

"Yes. This used to be his and now it's mine."

She turned to Rose.

"And you were in love with the Doctor but he just dumped you here with him."

Rose sighed.

"He...the Doctor didn't feel like he could love me the way I needed to be loved. He left me here with him and I was upset but after thinking about it, I realized what a great gift he gave to me because Jonathon won't live centuries after I die and we can be together and be in love without his worrying about me growing old and dying in front of him."

"But he didn't leave you this time machine he had. That must sting knowing he can go through time and space and you can't," she said to Jonathon.

"Well...Rose is going to try to find a way to build something similar at Torchwood, at least build a ship that we can take to other planets. And...if she succeeds and we do gain a time or space machine, I want you to come with me because there are planets out there that have advanced medical facilities that can cure your cancer completely."

"Wait, this is all to save me? This whole building the time machine thing?"

"It's a part of it. We also want to leave Earth and resume our lives. Both of us love traveling through time and space and we want to get back to doing that as soon as possible."

"But isn't that dangerous? You said the Doctor always runs into monsters and evil people out there."

"Yes, but that in itself is thrilling," Rose said. "Just the thrill of seeing new planets or new time periods and fighting evil and running and laughing and having a good time. That's what we want to go back to. And I would be chuffed if you came with us, Suzanne. I think you'd make a great companion."

"But what if you can't build it before I die. I may be living on borrow time, mates," she said to them. "I would love to wait as long as it takes for you to build a time machine but I probably won't be able to do that."

"Then we'll find a way to cure you here," Jonathon said. "Torchwood must have something we can use, some advanced cure or at least something to block the cancer for awhile till we can get you to a hospital that can cure you."

"Jonathon, I appreciate this but you shouldn't be worrying about me like this. I'm gonna die eventually, yeah? Concentrate on building a time machine for you and Rose, not for me."

"But I told you, saving people is in my blood. It's a part of me and I can't just stand back and do nothing while you die, not if there's a chance to save you. You're my mate, a good friend, and that makes you more of a priority for me."

He took her hand and squeezed it when tears came to her eyes.

"You are the best mates a woman could ever have," she said to them.

Both Rose and Jonathon set down their glasses and embraced her. Suzanned rubbed Jonathon's back and patted it before he and Rose sat back down.

"And you don't have to worry about me telling anyone this. I don't think anyone would believe it and I don't feel like being sectioned," she said.

"Thank you. I don't mind you knowing but I don't want too many people to know for safety's sake," he said. "The Doctor always tried to keep a low profile and I need to do that as well."

He looked at Rose.

"And now I need to tell you about the dream I had last night," he said.

He told her about meeting the Doctor and both women listened in a stunned silence.

"You went to him?" Rose said when he finished.

"That's what he said, I was so worried about Suzanne that my soul went out of my body, across the void and into the TARDIS to see him."

Suzanne shook her head as tears came to her eyes.

"You are absolutely stellar, Jonathon. I've never had anyone care for me like this, not even my own family would care this much."

Jonathon smiled and leaned forward to accept another hug and a whispered thanks from her. He leaned back and took a sip of wine.

"But why does her family think you're reckless?" Suzanne said. "Because of the Doctor?"

"Yes, because they dealt with the Doctor before and they think Jonathon will be the same as him and eventually get me killed," Rose said to her.

"But like I said, he's the most responsible person in the shop. I think Edward's even thinking of raising his salary because he's so reliable."

"Seriously?" Jonathon said.

"Well, don't quote me on that but yeah, that's the rumor," Suzanne said.

Jonathon beamed.

"Here that, Rose, worked there a few days and already I'm getting rewarded for it," he said. "But the Doctor barely got along with Jackie and he didn't know Pete all that well, the Pete in this universe at any rate."

"So, the man you call Dad really isn't your dad," Suzanne said to Rose.

"No, he resembles my original dad, but he isn't him."

With a sigh, she told them about the conversation she had with him. Jonathon's blood boiled when she told them about the yorkie being better behaved.

"I'm so glad you're here, Rose, so you don't have to put up with them."

"Well, I've been worried though since that argument," Rose said to them.

"Worried about what?" Suzanne said.

"My dad is one of the top men in Torchwood and he knows all about Jonathon and I'm frightened that he might do something or have someone harm him because he's half alien," Rose said. "I don't like Torchwood all that much, I don't really trust them and I've tried to keep them from doing the same things the Canary Wharf Torchwood did but I wouldn't put it past my dad to try to have Jonathon kidnapped and taken there to keep him away from me."

They looked at Jonathon and saw anger flash in his eyes.

"I'd love to see him try to take me," he said with a hardness to his voice. "I may be half human but I can still fight and I'll make them regret kidnapping me."

"I believe it. I've seen the Doctor when he's pissed off," Rose said. "And my Jonathon is supposed to have the temperment of the ninth Doctor. The Daleks call the Doctor the Oncoming Storm and believe me, they do it for a good reason."

"Well, if someone tries to kidnap you, ring me because I'll be over here beating their brains out with a stick. I'm not about to see my best mate strapped to a table and dissected."

Jonathon beamed at that.

"So...if we are able to find a way to get off this mudball, you wanna come with?" he asked Suzanne.

Suzanne thought it over and then grinned as she nodded.

"You know, you talked me into it. I wanna see time and space with you."

She smiled when both of them cheered that and gave her hugs.

"In that case, let's warm up that cold pizza and celebrate our eventual escape from Earth and then you are more than welcome to spend the night here with us because I have a feeling we're gonna stay up late into the wee hours of the night and I don't think Rose wants to drive."

"You're right, I don't."

"Sounds good to me, mates," Suzanne said.

The three of them clinked their wine glasses together and took a swig of wine before Jonathon excused himself and went to get their pizza.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

_Can't sleep again so here I go with another entry. Everything is quiet and everybody's asleep save for me and little Boots who's running around and around my leg. Suzanne is sleeping on the sofa. I checked on her before doing this and she's sleeping peacefully which is a mercy. I know how painful cancer can be and the last thing I want is for my best mate to be in agony all night. I'm so glad she was able to accept what we told her and still likes me even though I am half alien. She's such a good friend and knowing that she's able to be so open towards me and Rose makes me even more determined to find a cure for her. Come hell or high water, I will save her somehow and by God, Pete Tyler better not do anything to prevent it or I'll unleash the Oncoming Storm on him. I kinda figured that once Pete got wind of what Rose might do, he'd probably try to stop her and I also figured that sooner or later I would probably be in danger of being kidnapped by them. I share the Doctor's hatred of Torchwood and I know they can't resist having a half human clone to experiment on. But I won't worry about that right now. I have bigger things on my plate and if they come after me or Rose at some point then I will show them what it means to mess with me._

"Jonathon?"

Jonathon looked up and saw Suzanne standing where Rose stood just the night before giving him the same puzzled look. He grinned.

"I keep a diary. I told Rose last night because she caught me doing the exact same thing," he said.

"Wow, a half human diary. Can I see what half humans write about?" she teased.

"Nah, can't do that, top secret," he said, closing it quickly.

She pouted and then smiled warmly as she came around to him. She gave him a concerned look as she put her hand on his shoulder.

"What's wrong? Are you still worried about me?" she said.

"Partly. I worry about a lot of things. I have a very busy, active mind," he said.

"You shouldn't do that. You'll end up as ill as I am," she said.

Jonathon nodded.

"I know, I know I shouldn't. But I have so many things to sort out and writing in this diary helps me do it."

Suzanne pulled out the chair beside him and sat down.

"About what the Doctor said and did to you?" she said.

"Partly. I just need to find out who I am inside. Like the Doctor said, find the Time Lord within and be him."

"Well for starters, you're not gonna find it in the pizza shop," Suzanne said.

"I know that. I know making pizzas is not what Time Lords should be doing but…"

"Then don't do it."

"Yeah, but…what will all of you do?"

She chuckled.

"Find another bozo to sucker into working there," she said with a wink.

She sobered up and took his hand.

"Jonathon, you don't belong there. You don't belong in a menial job like that. I knew that even before you dropped the bombshell this evening. You're not meant for work like that. There's no shame if you quit especially since I'd rather see you be a Time Lord than a pizza maker."

She patted his hand.

"And don't worry, we can still be mates, you and me and the rest of the gang. You're not getting rid of us that easily. But if you are meant for better things then go be a better person. Don't be stuck in a dead end job the rest of your life."

"But if we do find a way to travel in space and perhaps time, you'll come, right?"

"Do I have a choice?" she teased.

Jonathon shook his head rapidly.

"Thought not," she said as he chuckled.

She patted his hand again.

"Well…some of us have to go to the loo and go back to bed so we can get up and work. Some of us don't have a day off today."

She stood up and gently kissed Jonathon's forehead.

"I'm glad you trusted me enough to tell me the truth. And trust me, I won't tell a soul. I like that you're unique like that and the Doctor was a fool to throw you out the door instead of getting to know you better."

"Thanks," Jonathon said softly.

"Anytime. What are best mates for. Now…get some sleep and quit worrying about every little thing. Things'll turn out for the best, you'll see. So…goodnight."

"Goodnight, Suzanne."

She gave him another little kiss on the forehead and Jonathon watched with silent happiness as she walked off towards the bathroom.

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After Suzanne used the bathroom and went to bed, Jonathon did the same and went back to bed. Rose was fast asleep and he paused to gaze at her lovingly, feeling blessed that she was his. As he rounded the bed, he had a sudden thought. He stared at his side of the bed for a moment, hesitant on whether or not to act on his thought and then figuring it couldn't hurt, he did what he had seen humans do in films and on the telly and got down on his knees beside the bed. He clasped his hands together in front of him and closed his eyes.

_If there is a God out there,_ he thought. _Please forgive me for not talking to you until now but I never had an urge to do this until I became half human so I'm asking you as a half human to save a fellow human being, a sweet, wonderful woman who is suffering needlessly from a stupid human illness. I want you to save her or at least allow us to save her. Please watch over her and keep her safe until you heal her or we find a cure…and please watch over my beloved Rose. She is the light of my life and I know I would go mad if something happened to her and she was taken from me too soon. Um…that's really all I have to say, I don't really care about me but…if you could help me to become the person I was meant to be that would be nice as well. Well, see ya._

Jonathon opened his eyes, got up and crawled back into bed. He snuggled up against Rose and gazed at her until he could no longer keep his eyes open.

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The next morning, Rose woke early intending to go to work. She went to the bathroom and started to climb into the shower when she suddenly had a change of heart.

"No," she said to herself as she shook her head. "I can't face him, not today."

She went to her purse, pulled out her mobile and called in sick to Torchwood. Once she was finished, she breathed a sigh of relief, put the mobile back in her purse and went in to sleep for a few more hours.

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When she rose, she fixed a quick breakfast for her and Suzanne. Jonathon was still asleep and they let him rest while they ate and chatted. Before she left to take Suzanne to the pizza shop, Rose made sure Boots had plenty of food and water and gave her a couple of strokes along her back. Suzanne tickled under her chin and grinned when Boots purred at her. Then both of them grabbed their purses and went out the door.

Rose drove her over to the pizza shop and parked nearby.

"Thanks so much for last night, loved the pizza and conversation," Suzanne said to her.

"No worries, we loved havin' ya," Rose replied.

"Well, I'm glad that Jonathon told the truth about himself. I caught him writing in his diary this morning and I told him that he needs to quit this place and go be the person he was born to be."

"I agree," Rose said. "I thought it a strange choice when he first told me he was workin' here. It's because he wanted to be independent of me and I understand that. But he could have found somewhere better than this. But then again, we never would have met ya."

"Yeah and I never would have met you lot and been offered a chance to travel the stars. And…if somehow you do figure out a way, I'd love to come."

"Brillant," Rose said. "I would love for you to see time and space with us. It's dangerous at times but it's amazing as well."

"Yeah, I get the dangerous with the whole Davros thing," she said, rolling her eyes.

She smiled at Rose and put her hand on Rose's shoulder.

"I know it was horrible for the Doctor to leave you here after you spent all that time looking for him again but at least he left you with a wonderful bloke."

"I know and I know that he and I are meant to be together. I'm not bitter about the Doctor leavin' me here anymore."

"Good because I'd hold on to that boy, he's a keeper. Strange that you met a decent chap and he's from outer space."

Rose chuckled and nodded.

"Yup, had to find an alien before I found a top notch bloke," she said.

She gave Suzanne a hug.

"You have our number, yeah?"

"Yup, I do and I'll call if I need you and you do the same if something happens to you or Jonathon, yeah?"

"Yeah, don't worry, Jonathon won't let me live it down if something happens and you're not in the thick of things," she teased.

They finished hugging and Rose watched as Suzanne got out of the car. They waved goodbye and Suzanne slammed the door. Rose watched her go inside the pizza shop and then she put the car in gear and headed back towards home.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Pete Tyler was fuming and everyone knew it. The other employees weren't exactly sure why he was so enraged, only that he kept muttering to himself about Rose being irresponsible as he went about his usual duties at Torchwood. Finally, Luke Billingsly, his co-worker and good friend, couldn't hold in his curiosity any longer. He managed to corner him in the large white breakroom where Pete was sitting at a table in the corner sipping tea and staring into space. Pete was startled when Luke sat down was a small styrofoam cup of tea and a cheeseburger.

"Mate, are you alright? You've been techy all mornin'. What's wrong?" he asked.

Pete regarded him silently for a moment. Unlike most of the other employees, Pete was fairly young, mid-twenties with sandy blonde hair that came down to the nape of his neck in back, piercing blue eyes and a thin build that reminded Pete of the Doctor's body. In fact, Pete swore that Luke and the Doctor probably could wear the same clothes. He was dressed in a blue shirt, grey trousers and had on the usual white lab coat with his ID card clipped onto the pocket near his heart. Alot of the other employees stayed away from him because he was young and inexperienced but Pete had taken him under his wing and helped train him and they quickly formed a firm friendship. He suspected the others, knowing that, sent him in to inquire about Rose. Pete took a sip of tea and stared out the window for a moment while he calmed himself down and collected his thoughts.

"My daughter called early this mornin'. Said she was ill and takin' a day off from work," Pete finally said.

"Oh, is she alright?" Luke asked, concerned.

Pete snorted.

"Oh, I'm sure she's perfectly fine," he said flippantly. "I'm sure she's havin' the time of her life right now."

"How'd ya mean, mate?"

Pete rolled his eyes.

"She has a boyfriend."

Luke's eyes widened in understanding.

"Ah, I see, skivving off to have a shag with the boyfriend, eh?" he said, grinning as he nudged him.

"I don't find anything funny about it," Pete said darkly.

"Aw, go easy on her. She's young. I'm sure you did the same thing when you were her age," Luke said.

"No, I didn't because my father impressed upon me the importance of being responsible. The reason I'm so upset is the boyfriend she has is anything but responsible. The man is reckless and a danger to her."

"You mean he might do something to get her arrested?"

"I mean he might do something to get her killed."

Luke stared at him, shocked.

"Blimey, are you sure?"

"Not one hundred percent but this man has a...twin brother and Rose used to date him as well and that man was wild and reckless and irresponsible and she nearly lost her life a couple of times so I'm sure it'll be no different with his...brother," Pete replied.

"Jesus...so what d'ya plan to do about it?"

"I have a couple of ideas, problem is, they involve doing things to this man that aren't very pleasant," Pete said.

"Nah, mate, hold up. I understand your anger, yeah? But you don't need to go around killin' anyone and getting yourself thrown in prison," Luke said, grabbing his arm.

"I don't wanna kill him. I just want to..."

"Want to what?" Luke asked.

Pete shook his head.

"Never mind, just forget about it," he said, taking a sip of his tea.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jonathon smiled at the smell of cooking bacon and inhaled deeply. He had been up for about an hour and was currently making breakfast while Boots rubbed herself around his legs and mewed at him.

"Mew," Jonathon said, looking down at her.

"Mew," Boots replied.

"Mew," Jonathon said.

"Mew!" Boots said, standing up on two paws and leaning her other two legs against his.

"You want bacon, do ya?" Jonathon said to the mewing kitten. "Slop in the bowl not good enough for ya, eh? Well, maybe if you're good and make me happy, I'll give you a couple of rashers, yeah?"

"Mew!"

Jonathon, his heart light, scooped up Boots and kissed her head.

"Oh, you make me so happy. You and Rose and my friends make me sooooo happy," he said to her.

He heard the door open and strolled into the living room.

"You're up?" Rose said, laying her purse on the chair. "Thought you take advantage of today and sleep until tomorrow."

"Nah! I'm not that lazy!" he said to her.

Rose came over, kissed him and kissed Boots.

"Mmmm, bacon," Rose said seductively.

"Oi, it's mine. It's my breakfast. You had yours already."

"Please?" Rose said in a husky voice. "Please, Mister Half Human Time Lord With The Kitty, can I have some bacon?"

Jonathon stared at her, suddenly turned on by the sound of her voice. Rose gasped and giggled when he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her roughly to his body.

"Baby, you can have aaaaaaaall the bacon ya want just as long as you keep talkin' like that," he said to her.

Rose giggled.

"Okay," she said in the husky voice.

Jonathon raised his eyebrow and looked at Boots.

"I have a funny feeling you're about to be banished to the sofa again, mate," he said.

Rose smiled and rubbed his back as she followed Jonathon back into the kitchen.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After eating and washing up the dishes, they left them in the strainer and left Boots in the kitchen while they stripped their clothes off, closed the door and lay in bed naked.

"Mmm, now this was worth skivving off work," Rose said as she ran her hand down his bare chest.

Jonathon stared at her with love and adoration as he laid his hand against her cheek.

"I wish you didn't have to work there. You're not meant for that place any more than I'm meant to work at the pizza shop," he said to her.

"I know but I have to stay because of the technology. I'm sorry but if we wanna leave planet Earth, they're our best hope," Rose said.

Jonathon sighed angrily.

"Damn the Doctor for..."

Rose quickly put her hand over his mouth.

"No, don't bring the Doctor into this. He did what he thought was right. Perhaps he trusted you to figure out a way to get off Earth on your own and that's why he didn't just hand you a TARDIS."

"What? I have to earn it."

"Yes, you do, Mister Ninth Doctor Temperment," she teased.

He grinned and grabbed her roughly. Rose gasped and chuckled, leaning in and giving him a soft kiss on the lips. They began to kiss and caress each other, readying themselves for sex. Jonathon sighed through his nose as he and Rose snogged each other. The Doctor had never gone this far with Rose, never dared to have sex with her although he fantasized about it often enough. It was because he was half human that both he and Rose felt comfortable enough to take the next step in their relationship. They paused a moment so Jonathon could reach into the drawer of his bedside table and pull out a condom. He had no clue how to use one but he made sure to get a box because the last thing he wanted at the moment was for Rose to be pregnant and have a kid running around their spaceship. Rose opened it for him and helped him get it on, patiently instructing him on how to do it. Jonathon frowned. The latex felt weird but if it meant he and Rose could have sex without the risk of getting pregnant he would put up with it. Once that was done, Jonathon laid the empty condom wrapper on the bedside table and Rose lay on her back while she helped instruct him on what to do. Jonathon was nervous and unsure which endeared him even more to Rose. Once again, she was patient with him and soon they were in the throes of lovemaking. Once he entered her, some human instinct took over and he knew what to do so he trusted this newfound intuition and simply enjoyed the fact that the love of his life was now in complete and utter ecstacy. He took his time at first savoring every pleasant sensation, every groan that passed through Rose's lips, the fact that her hot, sweaty body looked so beautiful to him and he swore that no goddess ever devised by man was more lovelier. As he continued, he found himself mentally thanking the Doctor instead of cursing him. Thanking him for not locking him away and giving him a chance to have a normal life with his true love at his side. At Rose's urging, he sped up and began to kiss and suck on her flesh, delighting in the taste of it. He wanted more than anything to take Rose away from Earth right then and there so he could have her all to himself for the rest of his life. He cursed his half human life, wishing that she and him were a true Time Lord and Lady so he could love her throughout the centuries.

He continued his lovemaking, speeding up once more so he could bring her and possibly himself to climax. But as they did, they suddenly heard a pounding on the door that vibrated all the knicknacks in the house. Rose, who had been lost in the moment, gasped and was nearly scared to death as Jonathon let out a curse under his breath and pulled out. The pounding grew louder and more violent as Jonathon and Rose scrambled to get their clothes on and make themselves look presentable.

"ALRIGHT, WAIT A MOMENT, WE'RE COMING!" Jonathon screamed when the pounding didn't stop.

Both of them finished throwing their clothes on and fixing their hair so they looked halfway decent. Jonathon then threw open the bedroom door, not carrying that it flew back against the bedroom wall with a loud slam and stomped to the front door with Rose in tow. He unlocked the door, flung it open and glared at Pete Tyler. Pete took in their disheveled appearance and folded his arms over his chest as he glared at Rose.

"We need to talk...all of us," he growled.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

"Dad, just let me explain," Rose said as Pete came inside and closed the door.

"Oh yes, do explain, Rose. I want to hear your explanation for why you two have just been going at it especially since you supposedly weren't feeling well this morning," Pete said.

"I didn't want to come in today because I wanted you to calm down and cool off before I faced you again," Rose said.

"Is that it or did he want a bit of a shag today?" Pete said, gesturing to Jonathon.

"He had nothing to do with this, it was my decision," Rose said.

"Oh? Well, he certainly took advantage of your decision then," Pete replied,glaring at Jonathon.

"Dad, leave him alone!"

"No, Rose, I will not leave him alone! The man has been nothing but trouble since he came with us and now he's causing you to miss work!"

"No, Dad, you're the one who's causing me to miss work," Rose said to him. "I keep telling you to leave Jonathon out of this!"

"I will not leave him out of this because he's the one that's going to get you into trouble! Just like the Doctor said, he's nothing but trouble! And I want you to come home right now and get away from him!"

"EXCUSE ME!"

Both of them jumped when Jonathon roared at Pete. They turned and saw him staring at Pete, his face contorted by rage.

"You know, I'm sorry that I was born and ruined your life, Pete. I didn't ask to be put here. You wanna blame someone, blame the Doctor! I'm trying to be a good person which is why I went out and got myself a proper job. I did that so I wouldn't have to rely on Rose. I tried to distance myself from her but Rose didn't want that and in the end, I didn't either. I understand your anger, I really do. But this is my flat and I won't have you coming here yelling and screaming and talking about me like I'm not even here! You wanna argue with Rose? Do it in your own home or over the phone where I'll be able to tune it out. Better yet, I'll go take a walk while you two sort this out."

"Jonathon, wait!"

"Rose, I'll be alright. Just do what you have to do, yeah? I'm not gonna jump off a bridge or anything. I just want to take a walk and think for awhile."

Rose squeezed his arm and he gave her a smile as he went into the kitchen, collected his diary and pen, stuffed it in his pocket and headed back towards the door.

"Jonathon, wait!" Rose said.

He turned and she handed him her cell phone.

"Just in case," she said.

Jonathon nodded and smile. He glared briefly at Pete before he went out the door and shut it firmly behind him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_So here I am, finally found a shady spot to sit and write and get away from the argument raging in my flat. I should have gone ahead and ordered Pete out but I was scared that if I said something else it would only make the situation worse both for me and for Rose. I'm not trying to be a burden on anyone. I'm trying to behave myself but it always seems like I end up caught in the middle of things. I'm wondering if Rose will leave me now. I won't stop her if she decides to but I know that life will never be the same if she ends our relationship. I told her I wouldn't jump off a bridge but that's exactly what I feel like doing. Who knew that life on Earth could be so complicated. The Doctor had the right idea, save the day and bugger off before real life got to him. That's why I wanna build something that'll allow me to do the same thing but if Pete prevents Rose from carrying through with our plans or if she gets fired because she took the day off then I'm not quite sure what else to do. I know I can build a spaceship but I need the necessary parts and technology and I seriously doubt that no one, not even NASA, has the parts that could be found only at Torchwood. Rose is the key to our getting out of here and now I hope she hasn't jeopardized her position there and by extension ruin our dreams. That is, if she still wants me since I seem to be making her parents angrier by the day. Oh God, what am I supposed to do? What can I do to make this situation all right again so everyone is happy?_

Jonathon paused and read over what he had written before he closed the diary, put the cap back on the pen and put both back in his pocket. He leaned back on the bench he was sitting on and quietly watched the traffic in front of him and the people passing by. He lost himself momentarily in thought, using the Doctor's memories and thinking back to the times when he and Rose were alone and happy traveling in the TARDIS. He was so immersed in his memories that it startled him when the cell phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and answered it.

"Rose?"

"Jonathon? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Rose. I'm sitting here on a bench watching the traffic and zeppelins go by."

"Come back to the flat please."

"Is he gone?"

"No, but he wants to talk to you."

"No! Rose..."

"No, he...he wants to make amends, Jonathon," Rose said. "We've been talking for almost two hours and I finally got him to see reason. Please come back home."

Jonathon sighed.

"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can," he said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It took a half hour for Jonathon to get back to the flat. He unlocked his door and came inside to find Rose and Pete sitting on his sofa drinking tea. Boots was curled up beside Rose, sleeping soundly. Jonathon cast a weary glance at them both before quietly shutting the door. Rose got up and walked to him. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Would you like a cuppa?" she asked.

He nodded and she gave him another kiss before heading into the kitchen. Jonathon stood beside the door, half afraid to move over to the chairs and hear what Pete had to say. He smiled when Boots scampered over and he reached down to pick him up.

"Cute cat," Pete said."Rose told me you found him abandoned in an alley."

Jonathon nodded as he held her close to his chest.

"Sit down, Jonathon. I'm not angry anymore," Pete said when he didn't move.

Jonathon walked over to the chair and sat down. Boots meowed and climbed up onto his shoulder where she lay down and fell asleep. Pete chuckled at that.

"She loves you," he said.

Jonathon nodded.

"The cat was what helped to convince me that you weren't a threat like the Doctor said," Pete said. "I saw how well taken care of she was and Rose said that you loved her a great deal.

"I'm not a bad person, Pete. I didn't ask to be born."

"I know that," Pete said. "But you're here and as upsetting as it is, I understand on some level the attraction Rose has to you because you represent freedom from the constraints of society."

"I'm more than just a metaphore though," Jonathon pointed out as Rose came back in with his tea.

"I know you are but Rose and I have been talking and we agreed that the reason Rose was so attracted to the Doctor's lifestyle was because at the time she met him she was in a dead end job that hardly paid anything and was boring and unfullfilling. The Doctor came along, showed her the stars and she finally found a fullfilling life."

"And that's bad?" Jonathon said, taking the cup of tea from Rose after she kissed his temple. "It's bad to want something other than a shop girl's life?"

"No, I don't object to that. I object to her putting herself at risk in order to live that life," Pete said.

"But life is risk. Every morning when you get up, something might happen to you," Jonathon pointed out. "You take a risk the moment you sit up in bed and put your feet on the floor and sometimes even when you're in your bed something happens. Wouldn't it be better then at the end of your life to say you really, trully lived rather than just slogged through life making ends meet and barely getting by?"

"He's right, Dad. I want something more than an office job," Rose said as she sat down on the sofa beside him.

"Well, despite the comment I made about wanting the yorkie back, I do love you, Rose, even though you're not my biological daughter and your mother and I are just acting like concerned parents."

"Yes, Dad, but there's a time when you have to step back and just let me live my life the way I see fit," Rose replied. "Jonathon is like the Doctor and he is willing to put his life at risk to travel in time and space but just like the Doctor, he also will protect me with his life. I didn't get seriously hurt or killed when I traveled with the Doctor and It'll be the same for Jonathon. I just want all of you to get along and be a family since for the moment he is stuck here on Earth. Jonathon has tried everything he can possibly think of to fit in and be someone we can be proud of and I think he's succeeded. Except for today, he's gone to work and been on time and did his job and now they're so impressed with him they're thinking about increasing his salary. I'm so proud of him, I can barely stand it and I know now how the Doctor felt whenever I helped him defeat a bad guy or a monster or made it out of a dangerous situation in one piece. I just want the fighting to stop. I want you and Mum to quit badgering him and making him feel worthless because he's not. He was brought to life for a purpose and even though Davros is defeated, he still has a purpose and a place in life. Don't do this to him and make him feel depressed and suicidal because I don't want that."

Pete lowered his head.

"If I made you feel that way, Jonathon, I am truly sorry," he finally said. "I'm not a bad person either. I'm just upset that the Doctor saw fit to dump you out here without even consulting Rose or Jackie. It was cruel of him to do this, not just to Rose but to you because you had as much right to the TARDIS as he did. But you're here now and he's gone and we need to try to make the best of things and I'm willing to bury the hatchet and get along if you will."

"I'd like that, Pete," Jonathon said. "I never wanted to be enemies with you or Jackie or anyone else. I just want to live my life in peace and discover who I truly am."

"And save your friend's life as well," Pete said.

He smiled when Jonathon was taken aback.

"Rose told me about Suzanne and I'm sorry to hear that she's ill. I can try to find out if Torchwood has anything that'll help her, either cure her or at the very least stop the cancer from spreading."

His face softened when he saw Jonathon's eyes mist over upon hearing that.

"See, Dad, he's not evil."

"I know, Rose. Trust me, I'll do everything I can to help her. Now...as for your second problem. Are you sure that you want to try to find a way to travel time and space."

"More than anything," Jonathon said.

"Well, we might have something at Torchwood that can help accomplish that but you'll have to be patient and let me see if I can find something that will do the job."

"Thank you, Pete," Jonathon said softly.

"On one condition, Rose is allowed to come back and see us if she wants."

"I would have done that anyway. I wasn't going to deny Rose her family," Jonathon replied. "I know how much all of you mean to her."

Pete nodded.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty One

_So peace has been restored at last. However, I still don't trust Pete completely even if he does seem to want to bury the hatchet. I think he might be up to something. Call me crazy but I inherited the Doctor's instincts and I have to admit my spider sense is tingling. But for the moment, I won't say anything to Rose since at the moment there is peace and quiet again. I just wish I knew for sure what was going on and if Pete really did want a truce between us. I hate this. I hate being here. I want a fucking TARDIS so badly I could scream. Being cooped up in a flat with no hope of escape is driving me bonkers. Not to mention I need to find a way to help Suzanne before the cancer gets worse. I don't trust Pete to help her. I think the only one who could truly help her is the Doctor. I keep wondering if there's a way to contact him. I don't care if he despises me; I only want help for Suzanne. I would even be willing to lose Rose if it meant my friend would be cured. There must be a way, some way to get a message across the void, some sort of mind link between us; I won't give up until I find a way to contact him. There's usually a solution, you just have to look for it. Perhaps…_

John paused in his diary and thought for a moment. Rose was in the other room watching the telly while he was sitting at his kitchen table. Boots was playing with one of his toys and scampering around his feet. He smiled, picked her up and kissed her head.

"I need a miracle, little mate," he said to her. "A miracle for Suzanne. Have any ideas?"

Boots purred softly and Jonathon held her close to his body while he closed his diary, got up and went into the other room. Rose was watching Eastenders when he came in and she glanced over at him and gave him a warm smile.

"Rose, I want to ask you something," Jonathon said, sitting down beside her. "But if you're busy watching telly, I can wait."

"Nah, I can follow the program well enough if I get interrupted. What do you need?"

"I don't trust Pete. I still think he has ulterior motives and this was just a way of calling a truce so he could plan something."

He figured Rose would protest but she fell silent for a moment and then nodded.

"I had the same thought but then I thought I was overreacting," she said. "I don't know if he is being sincere or not but we have to keep him happy if we want to have access to Torchwood and a fake truce is better than nothing."

"But perhaps there's another way," Jonathon said. "A way to save Suzanne's life."

"And do you have another way in mind?" Rose asked.

"I do. I want to try to contact the Doctor and see if he can find a way back here. I trust him more than I trust Pete and if anyone could cure Suzanne, it would be him."

He paused a moment, gauging Rose's reaction to his mention of the Doctor but she only nodded in agreement so he went on with his thought.

"I wanted to know about the dimension cannon. Do you think it could be used to send a message across the void, a signal that the TARDIS could pick up?"

Rose thought for a moment while Jonathon sat Boots down between them. Rose smiled when Boots walked up onto her leg and she stroked her back.

"It might be possible," she finally said. "I think it would be easier to send a message than a person, but even if the Doctor gets the message, what if he can't make it across?"

"I know, I know, but I have to try. Even if I have to beg him, I want the Doctor to help Suzanne."

"Love, I don't think you'll have to beg the Doctor to do that," Rose said.

"Yes, but coming from me…"

"Jonathon, whatever differences you might have with him, however angry he is, I don't think he'd refuse to help a dying woman with cancer. I think he'd put aside his anger at least long enough to help her, yeah? The Doctor wants to help people and Suzanne needs help. He won't withhold treatment because of some petty little grudge against you. If you want to do this, we can go in to Torchwood tomorrow. I'll tell them that you're helping me as a scientific advisor on a project I'm working on. Torchwood has a way to record a holographic message and we can try the dimension cannon. I was team leader on that project so I still have access to it."

She noticed he was deep in thought.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Is there a way to add an option for a return message?" Jonathon said. "If he gets it, we'd have no way of knowing that or knowing his answer unless there was some way to send a message back to us."

"Yeah, I think the recorder has an option to send a message back and the dimension cannon can be set so an object or person will return after a certain amount of time. We record the message, leave an option for him to record his answer and set the dimension cannon so the message will return to Torchwood."

Rose saw the relieved look on his face and she smiled as she stroked his cheek.

"If the Doctor can get through and he wants you back, would you go with him?" Jonathon asked.

"Not without you," she said without any hesitation. "Besides, I doubt he wants me back. He had a chance to take me with him and he didn't and I don't think he'll change his mind now."

"Does that upset you?" Jonathon asked.

"Not now. It did before but I've fallen in love with you and I want to be with you. The Doctor made his decision and now I've made mine. You're the one I love, Jonathon. The Doctor is a good friend but that's it. Will you quit worrying about that? I want you and only you."

Jonathon nodded. Rose smiled and kissed his lips. Jonathon returned the kiss and grinned as his arms encircled her waist. Rose put Boots on the floor and both of them stood up and headed for the bedroom.

The next morning, both of them rose early and dressed for their respective jobs. They were leaving early because Rose wanted to get into Torchwood before Pete came in for the day. She was going to take Jonathon with her, record the message and send it and then take him on to work afterwards. After getting dressed and making sure Boots had food and water for the day, they headed over to Torchwood. To Jonathon's relief, Rose was able to get him inside with no problem. He suspected Pete had been telling everyone about him since the lady at reception seemed to recognize who he was. He wondered what else Pete had been saying about him as they walked to the lift. They went up to the twenty second floor and Rose guided him to a room that had a large metal machine in it that had a huge camera lens in the front. Directly in front of the lens was a round metal platform and Rose instructed Jonathon to step up onto it while she closed the door and locked it. Jonathon stepped onto the platform and faced the camera while Rose walked over to a bookcase on the left side of the room, pulled out the technical manual for the machine and quickly read on how to operate the machine. There was a wooden table next to it and she laid the book on it, open to the page she was reading. She walked behind the machine.

"Okay, I'm gonna press a few buttons and you'll see a red light go on over the camera lens, that's your cue to speak," she called to him.

"Okay," Jonathon called back.

He stood there, nervous, as he worked out in his head what he wanted to tell his other self. After what seemed like eternity, the red light came on and he cleared his throat.

"Doctor, this is your half human clone," he spoke as confidently as he could. "My name is Jonathon and I'm trying to reach you, not to ask for forgiveness since I'm sure I'd never get that but because I have a favor to ask. I got a job working in a pizza shop and one of my co-workers, Suzanne, has cancer. I care for her very deeply and she's dying and I don't want her to die and you're the only one I can think of that can help her. Pete and Jackie resent me because you dumped me here without giving them a choice. Pete said he'd call a truce but I don't trust him and I don't really trust Torchwood. I trust you, Doctor, and…"

He swallowed hard as his eyes misted over.

"I'm begging you. If you can find a way back over the void, please come and save Suzanne. That's all I'm asking. I know it might not seem like much to you but she's one of the first friends I made here and I don't wanna lose her. You can hate me for the rest of your lives, I don't care. This isn't about me, it's about her and you're the only person I know who could cure her. Please, please, if you get this and you know a way to come back, come and save her."

He told Rose he was finished and she came back around the machine, her eyes misty as she embraced him. After she hugged him a moment, she went over to the table and consulted the manual on how to print the message and add an option to leave a return message on it. Once she figured out how to do it, she went back around the machine and pressed a few more buttons while Jonathon waited. He looked down when a door opened in the side of the machine and a thin black disc slid out on a tray. Jonathon took it and the tray slid back and the door closed as Rose came around the side.

"Okay," she said, taking it from him. "Now let's go to the room where they have the dimension cannon and see if we can send this to the Doctor. "


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty Two

"Okay, this way," Rose said as she and Jonathon hurried down the hallway.

While they were walking, Jonathon kept looking around, half expecting someone, particularly Pete, to appear out of thin air and stop them. He glanced up at the CCTV cameras positioned evenly along the corridor and wondered if Pete ever checked them. He hoped that they would be able to leave before Pete came in since he figured if he knew he was in the building, he'd instantly check the footage to see what they were up to.

After five minutes, Rose led him to another locked door. This one had a scanner and she scanned her ID before the door opened for them. They walked inside and Jonathon saw the dimension cannon at last. There was another metal platform, only this one was bigger than the one in front of the recorder. The dimension cannon was indeed cannon shaped, white metal or painted white and it was positioned on a large steel tripod. In back of the tripod was a console with buttons, switches and a large monitor on it. Rose strode confidentally over to the cannon and turned on the console. It began to hum and she pulled a keyboard out of the front of it directly below the monitor. Jonathon walked over to her side while she began to type.

"We used my artron energy as a way to pinpoint the Doctor in time and space since his TARDIS uses the same energy," she explained as she typed. "I'm asking the computer to try to locate a small gap that leads to the Doctor's universe and also to locate the TARDIS through the gap since I want to send the disc directly into it."

"You can do that?" Jonathon said.

"Yeah. I actually did send out a message that was locking in on the Doctor's own artron energy and at one point I managed to send one directly to the monitor in the TARDIS…at least I think I did, that's where this thing told me it was sent. So we can beam this disc directly into the TARDIS and give it…let's give him three hours, then the disc gets sent back to this platform here," she said as she typed.

"And that's how you were able to find him?" Jonathon said.

"Yup. I was beamed into different universes at first in a trial and error maneuver until we finally managed to get the right universe and save it in the database. I would go out for a set amount of time and when my time was up, I came back here."

"Wait, trial and error. You could have died."

"I know. But it was so important to me to find the Doctor again that I was willing to risk death," Rose said as the computer began its search.

Jonathon waited impatiently while the computer searched. He kept glancing over his shoulder. There was another CCTV camera by the door that was positioned right on the cannon and Jonathon imagined Pete sitting in a computer chair at a row of monitors watching them. When ten minutes passed and the computer brought up a positive match, he was so relieved he thought he'd pass out. Rose took the disc and put it on the platform. Then she walked over to the cannon and lowered the front part, using sights similar to the ones on a high-powered rifle to target the disc. When she had the disc in the crosshairs of the sights, she pressed some buttons and the humming became louder.

"Shield your eyes, love, this makes a very bright flash," Rose said.

Jonathon turned his head to the side and Rose closed her eyes before pressing the last button. There was a bright flash of light out of the corner of his eye and then Rose told him it was safe. He looked back and noticed the disc was gone. Rose studied the monitor.

"It should be on its way to the TARDIS now," she said to him. "There was a teeny tiny crack that was just big enough for the disc to get through. Don't know if the Doctor could get back through it. Unless he widens it?"

"He could do that but it'd be risky," Jonathon said. "We'll have to wait and see if he'll actually take the risk for Suzanne. But for now, let's get the hell outta here before Pete finds us."

(The Doctor's Universe…)

The Doctor sat inside his TARDIS staring at the monitor while his ship flew through the vortex. His feet were up on the rim of the console, one foot lazily flicking while he thought to himself. He had just got done saving villagers from a rampaging demon named Darthum, yet another thing he was doing to keep him from having to answer the summons from Ood Sigma that had arrived a fortnight ago. He knew what it was about and that's why he was determined to have one last hurrah before he had to go and face his death. The TARDIS had tried to get him to go, several times changing the coordinates to the Ood Sphere before the Doctor discovered what she'd done and angrily changed the coordinates back to the ones he had inputted. After several tries, his ship gave up, figuring he would face up to what he had to do in time. She just hated that he was now so bitter and sullen, having sworn off companions, she now had to watch him try to fight off his depression by immersing himself in busywork. Ever since he left Rose with his clone and had to take away Donna's memories, he hadn't been himself and the TARDIS was growing weary of the constant sadness surrounding him.

Then suddenly, the TARDIS detected something being beamed into the ship and she managed to warn the Doctor with a rapid beeping seconds before the bright light materialized beside the Time Lord. The Doctor jumped up from the seat when the light faded and he stared at the black disc as it clattered noisily onto the grate a few feet away from him. He froze, his eyes darting from left to right while he waited for something else to happen. Finally, he asked the TARDIS if anything else was coming inside the ship and the TARDIS grunted out a negative. The Doctor walked over, bent down and picked up the disc. He examined it for markings but there was none on it. He inserted the disc into the slot on his console and sat back down. He was shocked when he saw his own face staring back at him and it took a moment for him to work out who it was seconds before he identified himself.

The Doctor listened to the message in silent shock, never thinking he would see his clone again. He was prepared to be hard hearted against him, figuring he was pleading for him to come back and take him back into the TARDIS but his hearts melted when he realized the plea wasn't for him and they melted further when he saw that Jonathon was close to tears as he begged him for help. He swallowed down the lump in his throat when he heard him say that he didn't care if he hated him, only help Suzanne. When the message ended, a robotic voice told him that he could leave a reply if he wanted to and he had three hours before the disc was recalled. The screen went blank while the Doctor sat and stared into space, thinking about the message and about Jonathon. He had to admit he was wondering what was going on with him and Rose. He swallowed hard again when he realized that instead of going through time and space with Rose, his clone was working a possibly boring job in a pizza shop. He sat for several more minutes before he got up and chose to leave a return message. He saw a countdown begin on the screen and he sat back down. When the countdown got to zero, there was a beep and the Doctor spoke.

"Jonathon, I received your message," he said. "I want you to know that I do want to help you but I can't guarantee I'll find a way there or even if I'll be able to arrive there before Suzanne dies. I will try though. Even though I don't know Suzanne, if she means that much to you, I will try everything I can think of to get over there and help her before it's too late. I don't know how you'll know if I make it over there but I'll find a way to contact you if I do make it over there."

He stopped talking and was about to end the message when he decided to say something more.

"Jonathon, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I caused friction between you and Pete and Jackie. That was never my intention. I realize I was a bit rash doing what I did but you know as well as I that Rose can never be with me and because you're half human, she has a chance to grow old with you and be happy. That's all I ever wanted. I know I was angry at you for what you did but your heart was in the right place and you had good intentions and I apologize for blaming you for trying to save the universe. I don't hate you since you're me and I really don't like the thought of hating myself. Besides, what happened has happened and there's no reason for me to spend the rest of my lives hating you for one misplaced act of heroism. You helped defeat Davros and I'm grateful for that. If I find a way back, I'm going to give you a piece of TARDIS coral and try to speed up the process so you can quit your job at the pizza shop and travel the stars the way it was meant to be. Not to mention you need to get Rose away from Torchwood. Um…that's all I can think of to say. I can't guarantee anything except that I will try my best to get back over there and help Suzanne. I'm glad you found friends and have made a life for yourself. Again, that's all I ever wanted for you. If I don't make it over there, take care of yourself and look after Rose and have a brilliant life. I will look forward to seeing you again, my friend. Keep your pecker up and don't lose heart. Even if I don't make it over there, something might happen and Suzanne might go into remission. Don't lose faith, my friend. This is the end of my message. Goodbye."

The Doctor got up, stopped the recording and took the disc out. He laid the disc on the jump seat while he looked up at the ceiling.

"Right, I need your help, old girl. Find me a way back into the other universe so we can go help Jonathon and Suzanne."


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty Three

"I'll keep on checking," Rose said to Jonathon as they headed for the lift. "Even if he doesn't want to help, I would think he'd at least send a reply back saying that so we aren't left wondering. Just go ahead and go to work and I'll pick you up when you're shift is over."

They turned a corner and stopped short when they ran into Pete. Pete looked at Rose and then looked at Jonathon and he stared at him.

"What are you doing here this early?" he asked Rose.

"I needed help with an equation and Jonathon agreed to help me before I took him to work today," Rose said, trying to stay calm.

She kept a passive face while Pete studied them both. Finally, he nodded.

"Well, I hope he was able to help you. Jonathon, have a good day."

"You too," Jonathon said.

They both bid him goodbye and Pete watched while they walked away. He waited till they were out of sight and then quickly hurried away to the security room to watch the CCTV footage.

"You have a good day today, yeah? And I'll see ya later on tonight. Hopefully, we'll have a message from the Doctor."

"I hope so. Be careful. I think Pete was suspicious of us today," Jonathon said.

"Let me handle him. Just keep your mind on your work."

Jonathon nodded and gave her another kiss before he got out of the car and closed the door. Rose watched him go inside, her eyes shining with love, before she put the car in gear and drove away.

The moment Jonathon entered the shop; he could tell something was wrong. Claudia ran up to him and his heart raced when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"No, Suzanne," Jonathon said, his heart in his throat.

"She collapsed at her house last night and they took her to the hospital. She's there now," Claudia said, laying a hand on his arm. "We tried to reach you this morning but you didn't answer."

"I was out…with Rose. I was trying to find someone who could help her," he said while everyone else gathered around them.

"You mean like a doctor?" Claudia asked.

"Yeah, a Doctor," Jonathon said with a nod.

"Love, I think she has enough doctors looking after her now," George said.

"Yes, but the Doctor I'm thinking of can truly help her," he said.

Everyone glanced at each other, wondering what he meant. They were going to ask before they were ordered back to work. Jonathon knew it wouldn't do any good to spend the day worrying about Suzanne so he kept his mind on his work, losing himself in the repetitive tasks so he wouldn't have to think about his friend's condition.

Meanwhile, Rose drove back to Torchwood and headed to her office. She kept an eye on her watch and when it neared three hours, she hurried to the dimension cannon room, praying the Doctor got their message and replied. When she entered the room, she was shocked for a moment to see Pete standing by the console and then Jonathon's warning about not trusting him came back to her. She closed the door.

"What are you doing here?" she said to him.

"I might ask you the same thing, young lady. You had no authorization to use the dimension cannon today."

"You spied on us," Rose said angrily.

"Yes, because I want to know what the fuck you're doing. I didn't buy that bullshit about your boyfriend coming up here to help you with an equation so I checked the security cameras and lo and behold I hear him sending a message to the Doctor."

"Yes, because his friend's dying and we need his help."

Pete threw up his hands.

"Rose, can't you give it a rest? He doesn't want you any more, that's why he dumped his clone out the door and into our lives."

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME!" Rose screamed. "I love Jonathon! We contacted him because Jonathon's friend is dying…correction, our friend is dying and the Doctor is the only one who can help her."

"How do you know that? You heard the Doctor. Everytime he comes back over here, he risks endangering our world. I'm sorry your friend has cancer but people get cancer all the time! You really want to risk destroying the universe for that?"

"Yes, I do. Because I've seen how much she means to Jonathon and she's a wonderful woman and I want to help her as much as he does. So we sent a message to him and…"

She fell silent when there was a blinding flash of light and the disc clattered onto the platform. No one moved for a few seconds and then both of them tried to get it. Rose leapt onto the disc and managed to cover it with her body and roll away before Pete could get to it.

"Let me see it!" Pete said as she scrambled to her feet.

"I'm gonna play it and you can watch but I'm gonna know what he said," Rose said, walking to the console.

Pete sighed angrily and threw up his hands while Rose inserted the disc into a slot. Pete stood behind her and glared at the Doctor when his image appeared. Both of them listened to him, Rose's spirits soaring when the Doctor promised he would try to find a way over the void.

"You're endangering us, Rose. You and Jonathon are going to destroy this universe because now he's gonna try to rush to get over here," Pete said when the message ended and Rose took the disc out.

"He won't do that. He'll find a way to cross over safely and if he doesn't find a way, he won't try it."

"You and that clone are both nuts and…"

Rose's mobile rang. She held up her hand and Pete glared at her while she answered it.

"Rose?" Jonathon said. "Rose, it's Suzanne, she's in hospital. She collapsed last night. Did you hear from the Doctor?"

Rose repeated what the Doctor said, including the part about not being angry at him and calling him his friend. She could hear Jonathon sobbing at that but he managed to keep his composure and reply to her.

"That's good news, brilliant in fact. I hope he makes it," Jonathon said. "In the meantime, I'm gonna go back to work. I just couldn't wait till the end of the shift to know if he replied and I wanted to let you know about Suzanne. I'll see you later."

"Goodbye, love, have a good day and try not to worry," Rose said to him.

He hung up and with a sigh forced himself to go back to work.

"What are you gonna do if the Doctor can't find a way here and Suzanne dies?" Pete said to Rose as she put the mobile back in her pocket. "That man is supposed to be the Doctor, doesn't he know that bad things happen to good people? I lost my real wife, is the Doctor gonna come back here and give her back to me?"

Rose glared at him and Pete shrugged.

"Well? If he can save Suzanne, why can't he save my Jackie? Is she any less important than this other woman? Or is it because I have to put up with an alternate universe version of my wife now that you're here. I had to adjust to the loss of my wife and the two of you and he can do that as well."

"Yes, Pete, I understand. Mum and I aren't wanted here any more than Jonathon is. We were all forced upon you and now you have to play martyr and deal with us because we're stranded here. I get it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work."

"The Doctor won't be welcomed in here," Pete said. "If you think he's gonna use Torchwood's resources."

"He doesn't need Torchwood's resources," Rose spat out. "He has far more advanced equipment than the rubbish here which is why we asked for him to come here. Now, excuse me. I have a job to do and so do you."

She walked out of the room. Pete glowered at her and the moment the door was closed, he let out an angry yell and hit the wall with his fist.

The Doctor stood in front of his console waiting patiently while his ship did a scan trying to find a gap big enough to go through. He was still amazed that he was doing this, especially in light of all that happened between him and his clone. But he realized that he was desperately lonely and he really did want to see him and Rose again, at least to say goodbye if he really was going to die for good this time.

He heard a beeping noise and looked at the monitor. To his amazement there was a gap in the fabric of reality that was just big enough for him to get through. He scanned the calculations the TARDIS gave him about the size of the gap and how long it would remain open. It would only remain open for eight hours but perhaps that would be enough time. He considered his options, weighed the pros and cons and then decided to go for it.

"Do it, Old Girl," he said. "Go to Rose and Jonathon so I can cure Suzanne and give her a well deserved miracle."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty Four

For the rest of the day, Rose stayed away from her stepfather, afraid she might punch him in the face if she got too close. After everything that happened between Jonathon and him, she shouldn't have been surprised that he was spying on her but it still hurt her heart to know he had done that, especially since he seemed to have called a truce with her lover. She wondered if her real father was ever that big a bastard. Her mother had called him lazy and a hopeless dreamer whose get rich quick schemes never seemed to work but she never said he was cruel to her or a complete prick. Then again, Rose figured that her real dad never had to deal with people from other universes getting dumped in his lap.

Rose sat at her desk and tried to do some paperwork but she couldn't keep her mind on her work. She gave up after three hours of trying to concentrate and clocked out early. She decided she'd go back to Jonathon's flat and wait for him to come home. Then she figured the two of them could go to the hospital and see Suzanne. She put on her leather jacket as she left her office and headed towards the lift.

While she was doing that, Pete sat in his office and fumed. Louise, the receptionist had rang him and told him that Rose had clocked out early and was heading home. He figured she might do that and asked Louise to notify him if that happened while he silently thought about his options. He was considering having someone go to Jonathon's workplace and arrest him, bringing him back to Torchwood so the Doctor would be forced to enter the building. Part of the reason was Pete was still furious over what the Doctor did and he wanted to give the Time Lord a piece of his mind but there was also the possibility that the Doctor could be useful to Torchwood. He knew that Torchwood had developed several ways to control minds, both internally and externally, and he was considering enslaving both him and his clone and making them a part of the research and development team.

But even as he considered it, he knew it would be risky. The Doctor was an accomplished escape artist and he knew if he got free of Torchwood's mind control that he would be getting his revenge and he would be at the top of the Doctor's revenge list. He also realized that he was angry at the moment and was conjuring up revenge fantasies aimed at both the Time Lord and his clone but still…

"The Doctor said it was risky coming over here," Pete said to himself. "What if he gets stuck here and never gets back to his universe? Why shouldn't Torchwood take advantage of his knowledge and expertise? He could help us defend Earth and perhaps that would persuade Jonathon to come and work for us as well. Perhaps we wouldn't need to brainwash them."

He snorted softly.

"Who am I kidding?" Pete muttered. "Both he and Jonathon would have to be dragged in here kicking and screaming before they willingly went to work for us. Still…wouldn't hurt to have Jonathon brought in and confined so he'd have to come here. I still want to give the little bleeder a piece of my mind and let him know how I feel."

Deciding on that course of action, he picked up his phone and dialed an in-house number.

Jonathon slumped down in one of the metal chairs in the break room and let out a sigh of relief. It was his lunch break but he really didn't fell like eating. He just wanted to rest his feet and get his second wind for the second half of the work day. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back as he let the cold air from the overhead air conditioning cool his face and body.

Then suddenly, Claudia ran into the room.

"Jonathon, there's some policemen out front. They're asking for you," she said to him.

Jonathon's eyes snapped open.

"Police?" he said, his heart racing. "What do they want?"

"Dunno, but I have a feeling it's not good. They said they need to speak with you now."

Jonathon tried to calm himself as he got up and followed Claudia out of the break room. By the time he got up to the front, his coworkers and boss were all standing around and the customers in the shop were staring at the two policemen and talking amongst themselves. Jonathon put on a calm appearance even though his heart was still racing and walked up to the policemen.

"May I help you?" he asked them. Fo

"Mister Smith, we want you to come with us," one of the policemen said.

"What for?" Jonathon said.

"You're under arrest, sir," the policeman said coolly. "For unlawful entry of the Torchwood Institute and illegal use of their equipment. Come with us quietly or we'll have to use force."

"Jonathon, what're they on about?" Claudia said, coming up beside her friend.

"Sir, I advise you come quietly with us and answer a few questions back at the police station," the other policeman said.

Jonathon nodded. He avoided everyone's eyes, his face beet red as the policeman put his hands behind his back and handcuffed them. He stared down at the floor, feeling everyone's eyes on him as he allowed the police to lead him out of the shop and into their waiting squad car. Once he was sitting in the back, the policeman shut the door, took one look at the crowd gathered at the windows and doors inside the shop and got into the passenger side of the car. Jonathon lifted his head and saw his coworkers standing at the window before the squad car drove away from the curb.

Meanwhile, Rose was sitting on the sofa in Jonathon's flat playing with Boots while she watched the television. The kitten was romping around her legs, batting at her fingers as she waved them at the kitten. She gasped when Boots managed to get hold of her middle finger and bite down on it.

"Oi, puss cat, not so rough," Rose said as she pet the kitten. "I need my fingers for other things, yeah?"

She looked down when her mobile rang. She pushed Boots off her leg and stood up while she fished it out of her trouser pocket.

"Hello?" she said when she answered it.

"Rose, it's Claudia."

Rose frowned when she heard Claudia's shaky voice. She felt her stomach sinking as she swallowed hard.

"What's wrong? Is it Suzanne?" she asked.

"No, it's Jonathon. He's been arrested."

Rose's legs turned to rubber and she slowly sank down to the sofa.

"What happened?" she finally managed to say while she dreaded what the explanation would be.

When Claudia finished telling her what happened, Rose thanked her, ended the call and fought back her anger as she stood up and searched for the phone book so she could phone the police.

"You better not have something to do with this, Pete," she muttered to herself as she searched. "Or so help me God, I'll put my foot so far up your arse they'll have to surgically remove it to separate us."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty Five

The policeman behind the counter looked up when Rose opened the double glass doors and entered the police station. He pushed his wire rimmed frames up his hawklike nose and smiled warmly at her.

"May I help you, Miss?" he asked her.

"Yes, a man was arrested about an hour ago, I want to see him," Rose said.

"Yes, Miss, his name?"

"Jonathon Smith," Rose said.

She waited while the officer checked the paperwork in front of him. After a couple of minutes he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, no one by that name was brought in," he said to her.

"Are you sure?" Rose said, reaching into her purse.

She handed him a photo of Jonathon. The officer shook his head and told her once again that no one matching the name or physical description was brought in. Rose sighed angrily and thanked him before heading outside.

"Okay, Pete, I suddenly have a feeling those "policemen" were working for Torchwood," she muttered as she headed to her car.

Jonathon groaned as he slowly came to. When he was in the squad car, one of the officers shot a gas pellet into the back seat before raising a glass barrier between him and the front seat. He passed out and when he came to, he was resting on the bottom of a steel cage. The cage was in the middle of a bare white room. The only other piece of furniture in the room was a wooden Chippendale chair. As he struggled to get to his knees, he looked up and saw a CCTV camera mounted in the corner of the room. The camera was pointed directly at him and Jonathon used the bars of his cage as support while he got to his feet.

"Oi!" Jonathon yelled at the camera, "I want to speak to someone in charge right now!"

He paced around the cage, waiting. After five minutes the door opened and he stopped. He growled when Pete entered the room.

"Shoulda known you were behind this," Jonathon said while Pete shut the door and walked over to the chair. "Let me go this instant!"

"I can't let you go. You're a criminal," Pete said calmly while he relaxed.

"I'm no criminal and you know it," Jonathon said.

"Yes, you are. You were in restricted areas and using Torchwood property without authorization."

"I was with Rose!"

"Yes and I'm Rose's supervisor," Pete said, leaning forward and glaring at him. "She had no right to bring you in here and use the dimension cannon without my consent and she will be disciplined for that but you…you were trespassing and I have every right to send you to prison. However, if you wish to avoid staying at her Majesty's pleasure, you will cooperate with us."

"And what exactly do you want me to do?" Jonathon asked, narrowing his eyes.

Pete grinned and settled back in his chair before explaining to Jonathon what was happening.

Meanwhile, Rose was silently fuming while she tried to get through the heavy London traffic. It was slow going getting to Canary Wharf and with each passing minute she was getting more and more angry. She had no doubts that Jonathon had been kidnapped by Torchwood and knowing what they were capable of made her sick with worry. She didn't know what Pete wanted with him but she could guess.

When the traffic light turned green she exhaled through her nose and drove closely behind a tan Honda that seemed to be filled with tourists. She could guess by the way the driver kept pointing to different things and talking to his passengers that they weren't local and that made her even angrier.

"Come on, mate, sightsee some other time, will ya?" she muttered at the driver. "Some of us have better things to do than point out Big Ben to their friends."

She looked at the passenger side when she heard her mobile's ringtone. She picked it up and answered it.

"Yeah?" she said, trying without much success to keep the irritation out of her voice.

"Hello there, Rose."

Rose gasped when she heard the familiar voice.

"Jonathon! Where are you? Are you alright?" she said frantically.

"Um…I'm not Jonathon."

Rose's breath caught in her throat and her eyes became misty.

"Doctor?" she said in a hushed voice.

"The one and only. I made it," the Doctor said. "Wasn't easy getting back over. Bit bumpy and the TARDIS is running on residual power so I don't have all the time in the world. But if you agree to meet me somewhere and you and me and Jonathon can go get Suzanne…"

"There's been a problem," Rose said, interrupting him. "Jonathon's in trouble. He was arrested…well, they said he was arrested but I think a couple of people working for Torchwood came and got him because I checked the police station and he's not there."

"Why would Torchwood take him?" the Doctor said.

"Because my so-called dad doesn't like him and he was angry when we went in there to use the dimension cannon. I have a feeling he's behind this."

"Where are you right now?"

"In the middle of bleeding traffic," Rose said with a snort. "I was on my way to Canary Wharf."

"I'll meet you there. I can park the TARDIS across from it. Keep your peepers peeled for me then."

"Gladly," Rose said, her spirits lifting now that she knew the Doctor was involved. "I'm nearly there."

"Molto Bene, see you there. Ta ta!"

"Bye," Rose said before ending the call.

With a smile, she wiped away the stray tear that was on her cheek and muttered to the Honda to hurry the hell up as she tried to increase her speed.

Twenty minutes later, she managed to reach Canary Wharf. She parked her car nearby and casually walked towards the building, keeping her eyes open for any sign of the Doctor. As she neared the front entrance, she suddenly saw a head peek around the building across the street. Rose let out a burst of laughter when she saw the familiar tousled hair blowing in the wind and the brown eyes that stared at her intently. She walked faster when the Doctor ducked his head back around the building. A moment later, the Doctor slowly came around the corner, his eyes on Canary Wharf while he made his way to Rose. When Rose reached him, she flew into his arms and the Doctor grinned as he hugged her tightly.

"Apparently, you missed me," the Doctor said, amused.

"Badly. I'm glad you're here," Rose said, stepping back and wiping a tear from her cheek. "Suzanne has a fighting chance now."

"Yes, once we get this sorted out," the Doctor said, pointing to Canary Wharf. "Honestly, you and Jack needed to stay away from this lot. Nothing but trouble. But…I never figured Pete would turn out to be some sort of evil madman."

"Well, he's never been much of a father," Rose said. "He doesn't mind mum but he resents suddenly having the daughter of a dead copy in his house and after you left Jonathon here with us, he just went spare. He always thought of you as a bad influence and a troublemaker so having a version of you living in his house was too much to bear. Jonathon got his own flat but he's still angry because I love him and want to be with him and now…I s'pose this is the last straw, bringing you back here."

"Well, for his sake, dear old dad better not hurt Jonathon or I'll go spare on him," the Doctor said. "Well, I s'pose the direct way is best since I'm sure the eye in the sky has spotted us. Torchwood wouldn't be Torchwood without their CCTV cameras, eh? So let's go in the front door and let Petey boy know we're here."

Rose nodded. She took the Doctor's hand and gave it a squeeze before the two of them headed across the street towards the front entrance.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty Six

Louise looked up from her paperwork when the front door opened and the man and woman strolled inside. She smiled at them when they stopped in front of her desk.

"Rose, I thought you went home, love," Louise said.

"I came back, I have to see my father, it's very important," Rose said.

"Um…he's in a meeting at the moment, I'm afraid," Louise said.

"Then ring him and tell him to come out of the meeting," the Doctor said, leaning over into her face. "I'm here to see him and I'm sure he's waiting for me."

"I'm sorry, Mister Smith, but…"

"I'm not Jonathon; my name is the Doctor and Pete wants to see me, trust me so please ring him and tell him the Doctor is at the front desk."

Louise shrugged and picked up the phone receiver. She dialed an in-house number and let it ring several times before she hung up.

"I'm sorry, he's away from his phone," Louise said. "As I told you, he's in a meeting and…wait, where are you going?" she said when they walked past her desk and headed towards the lift.

"We have to see him, Louise, I'll take responsibility for the Doctor being in restricted areas," Rose said over her shoulder while the Doctor pushed the up button.

Thirty seconds later the lift doors opened and Rose and the Doctor stepped inside. As the doors closed, the Doctor adjusted his rumpled blue suit and straightened his trench coat.

"Have to look my best if I'm going to be captured," he explained to Rose as they went up.

"Yeah, well they'll have to get through me first before that happens," Rose said.

The lift stopped, they walked inside and the Doctor put his hands in his trouser pockets while he casually strolled around the big oak desk. He looked down at the paperwork on Pete's desk while Rose picked up the phone receiver and dialed an in-house number. While she waited for someone to pick up the Doctor picked up a piece of paper and scanned it.

"Acquisition for Sylon plasma blasters, eh?" he said to Rose after reading it. "Wonder what Petey boy wants to do with those?"

"They study them and reverse engineer the alien tech so they can build more and…Neal?" Rose said when the man on the other phone picked up. "It's Rose. Where is Pete? I need to speak with him and it's very urgent."

"Does reverse engineering include Time Lords?" the Doctor said while Rose waited for Neal to reply. "Because I can see Petey making more of me and Jonathon and engineering us for his own personal army."

"Yes, okay, thanks," Rose said before she ended the call.

The Doctor noticed the grim look on Rose's face.

"Let me guess, the meeting is between two people and one of those people looks just like me," he said.

"Yeah, he's interrogating Jonathon. Follow me, I know where they're at," Rose said.

The Doctor nodded and put down the piece of paper before following her out of the office. They went back to the lift and went down to the sixteenth floor. While they were going down, Rose fought to keep her anger under control, breathing heavily while she clenched and unclenched her fist. She felt the Doctor's hand on her shoulder and looked at him.

"Calm down, let me handle this," he said to her.

"I'm just sick and tired of him never giving Jonathon a chance," Rose said, shaking her head. "He's a nice guy but Pete is too thick to see it and now he's gotten you involved in all of this."

"Who? Pete or Jonathon?"

"Pete. Jonathon only wanted you to come back to save Suzanne, that's all," she said. "But now because of Pete, you're forced to sort all this out and waste time while you risk being stuck here forever."

"Nah, plenty of time," the Doctor said, shaking his head. "Pete won't be that much of a threat to me, neither will Torchwood. Plenty of time to sort this out, cure Suzanne and take you and Jonathon back to the TARDIS with me."

The lift stopped and the doors opened but Rose stood there, stunned at what the Doctor just said. The Doctor grinned as he stepped out, turned and offered her his hand.

"I assume this is the correct floor?" he said to her.

"Uh…yeah," Rose said, finally finding her voice as she took the Doctor's hand. "Sorry, I just…"

"Was shocked that I said I'd take you with me?" the Doctor said as the lift doors closed behind them. "After all you've been through and how badly you and Jonathon's been treated, you don't think I'd let you stay here and continue to bear the brunt of his abuse, do ya?"

"But you wanted Jonathon to stay here," Rose said.

"Yes, but not if he's going to be abused and subjected to anal probes and whatever else Torchwood does to alien prisoners," the Doctor said. "From what I've heard, he seems to have mellowed out and adjusted and I think he's not a threat anymore. Besides, I'd rather he be inside the TARDIS than a pizza shop, what kind of life is that for a Time Lord? So yes, once this is sorted out, you and him and your mum and brother are welcome to come with me."

He chuckled when Rose flung her arms around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Aw, I love it when I say things that get me kisses, hugs too," he said. "Well, now that we've cleared that up, lead the way to Pete."

Rose nodded. The Doctor put his hands back in his pockets while he followed her down the hallway. She stopped him halfway in front of a white wooden door that had a little PRIVATE plaque on the door. Rose raised her fist to knock on the door but the Doctor stopped her, shook his head and put his finger to his lips. He put his hand on the doorknob, slowly turned it and when he realized it was unlocked, he paused for a moment and then flung the door open. He strolled into the room while Pete gasped and leapt up from his chair.

"Sorry, I know it's rude to just barge in like this but I can't help it when I see a door marked private," the Doctor said to Pete as Rose came in behind him and shut the door. "Besides, a little bird told me that you were looking for me."

He stared intently at Pete while Rose rushed over to the cage and knelt down beside it. The Doctor looked at Jonathon while Rose reached through the bars and took his hand. He gave his clone the once over and then turned his attention back to Pete who had recovered and was now glaring at him silently.

"I don't see any visible wounds but that doesn't mean you've been torturing him and for your sake, you better not have," he said ominously. "What do you want with him?"

"He's under arrest for illegally trespassing in here," Pete said. "Rose brought him in here without my authorization."

The Doctor smirked at that.

"Pete Tyler, the former king of pop lands up the head of a terrorist group, you're moving up in the world."

"We are not a terrorist group, Doctor," Pete snarled.

"Oh really? How many innocent aliens have you captured and tortured and killed over the years? Rose told me you're taking alien tech and reverse engineering them. For what purpose? Eradicating more aliens who happen to fly too close to Terra Firma?"

"And what are you?" Pete said. "Aren't you a terrorist yourself? Rose said that many aliens know you as the Oncoming Storm and that they fear you. Sounds like a terrorist to me. And because of that you're public enemy number one. Isn't that why you had to destroy the other Torchwood, Doctor?"

"And I s'pose capturing me will earn you a promotion, eh?" the Doctor said, calmly gazing at him. "And what of Rose and Jonathon? Are they terrorists as well?"

"Rose isn't, but that thing is," Pete said, pointing to Jonathon.

"He's not a thing, he's a person," Rose snarled at him.

"No, he's a clone, a copy of him," Pete said, pointing to the Doctor. "He's exactly like him no matter how much he tries to set himself apart from the Doctor. The Doctor is dangerous and so is he."

"Oh yes, we've both had our eyes on this place for years," the Doctor said. "The pizza shop was just a diversion while Jonathon planned how to attack you and I headed back to the other universe so I could return with my vast alien army. Unfortunately for me, the army got left behind because I came here to help cure Jonathon's friend. Yet another dastardly diversion while I plotted and schemed to bring this place down, I might add. So now that I'm here, call your dogs in to attack and restrain me lest I leave the building and cause Armageddon. In the meantime though…"

The Doctor whipped his sonic screwdriver out of his jacket pocket and unlocked the cage door. Jonathon stood up and hesitated as he stared at the Doctor's face. The Doctor smiled at him.

"Come out, I'm not angry at you any longer," he said.

Jonathon smiled and nodded as he stepped outside. Rose hugged him and Jonathon hugged her back while the Doctor turned his attention back to Pete.

"So…I set your captive free, what are ya gonna do about that?" he said to Pete.

"You can't leave here," Pete said.

"Oh? Just watch me," the Doctor said, folding his arms over his chest. "I came here because Jonathon's friend is dying and I intend to help her in any way I can. Now, you can either go to the hospital and bring her here or you let us go. I recommend you do the latter before I become that Oncoming Storm you mentioned."

He stood there, silently challenging Pete with his eyes. He smirked when Pete stepped back away from the door.

"Good choice," the Doctor said. "Now if you'll excuse us, a friend needs my help and then once that's sorted out, I'm taking Rose and Jonathon and anyone else that wants to go with me and go back to the other universe where we'll be out of your hair…or what's left of it…forever. Rose, Jonathon, come. We have business to attend to."

Rose took Jonathon's hand while the Doctor fixed his stare on Pete. Once they went past the Doctor and were out the door, the Doctor gave Pete a look of warning.

"Don't follow us…" the Doctor said in a low, menacing voice as he walked to the door.

Pete gritted his teeth and clenched his fists while the Doctor waved cheerfully at him, walked out and slammed the door behind him.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty Seven

Twenty minutes later, Rose was driving her car through the London streets on their way to the hospital. Jonathon sat beside her in the car while the Doctor sat in the back. When they first got in the car, Jonathon tried to get in the back but the Doctor wouldn't hear of it.

"She's yours now, mate, I'm just a concerned friend," he told his clone.

While they drove, Rose cursed softly while she tried to navigate through the crowded streets.

"These are the times I wish I had the TARDIS," Rose finally said as she turned onto another road.

"Nah, the old girl doesn't like Earth traffic, she does better in the vortex," the Doctor said. "Besides, we'd have more luck stealing a zeppelin than we would driving her down the London streets."

"Believe me, I have half a mind to steal one of those things," Rose said, glancing up through the windscreen at a zeppelin flying overhead.

"Calm down, we'll make it to the hospital in plenty of time," the Doctor said.

"Yes, but what about Pete," Jonathon said. "Surely you don't think he'll let us go just like that."

"No, I suspect he'll either follow us or have some of his cronies do it. I don't harbor any delusions that we've seen the last of him. I think he let us go so he could regroup and come up with a plan or maybe he's thick enough to think that we were fooled by his submissive gesture. No worries, if he shows up we'll fight back. Just worry about Suzanne for the moment."

While Rose was driving, her eyes kept flicking up to the rearview mirror. Both the Doctor and Jonathon looked at her when she looked again and let out a curse.

"Problem?" Jonathon asked.

"Yeah, this car has been following us for awhile now. It's not Pete but there are two men in the car and I think I recognize one of them from Torchwood. You're right, we are being followed."

"Just stay calm, we'll handle them when we get to the hospital," the Doctor said. "Just pretend like you don't know they're there."

Rose nodded. She reached the hospital and pulled into the car park. She parked near the entrance and as she turned off the engine, she looked in her rearview mirror and noticed the other car was parking about thirty feet behind her. She could see the driver turn off the engine and then both of them sat there and waited. Rose, Jonathan and the Doctor got out of the car, shut and locked the doors and casually walked to the glass double doors. As the double doors slid open, Rose heard the faint sound of two car doors slamming and she bristled, knowing that Pete was sending his friends to stop them. They all walked to reception and Rose inquired about which room Suzanne was in. While she was doing that, Jonathon reached into his pocket and pulled out a pound note, pretending to use a nearby fruit machine. While he walked to it, he glanced to the right and noticed the men were coming inside. He quickly looked away when they looked his way and stood at the fruit machine while the two men stopped, looked at the Doctor and Rose and then walked into the waiting room off to their right. Jonathon chose a Coke and glanced over at the Doctor when the bottle rolled out of the fruit machine. The Doctor locked eyes with him and Jonathon discretely pointed to the waiting room. The Doctor nodded his understanding and Jonathon grabbed his bottle of Coke and walked back to them. Rose led them past the reception desk and down the hallway. While they walked, Jonathon casually sipped his Coke and carried on a conversation with the Doctor who was walking beside him; both men were keeping an eye on the men when they turned their heads. Both men were following them but keeping their distance for the moment.

They got in the lift and went up to the second floor. The men held back while the door closed so the three of them were left alone.

"Rose, I want you to keep watch while I tend to Suzanne," the Doctor said. "If these men try to attack us, Jonathon and me will handle them."

Rose nodded and the Doctor patted her shoulder. The lift door opened and they walked to the end of the hallway to the room on the left. Suzanne was lying in the first bed while an elderly lady lay in the other bed. The sea foam green curtain that separated their beds was pulled forward slightly when they entered. Suzanne was sleeping peacefully. An oxygen tube was in her nose and an IV drip was in her arm. At the foot of her hospital bed was her hospital chart that was attached to a clipboard that was hanging off the end. The Doctor picked it up and studied it while Jonathon moved to Suzanne's side and Rose kept watch at the door for the men.

"Suzanne?" Jonathon said, nudging her arm.

Suzanne's eyes fluttered open and a smile spread over her face when she saw Jonathon.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" she said with a hoarse voice.

"Nah, I got bored making pizzas, coming to see my best mate is much more fun," Jonathon said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Suzanne looked at the Doctor and she stared at him quietly while the Doctor gave her a cheerful wave. She looked at Jonathon and Jonathon giggled when she looked from one to the other in shock.

"You have a twin brother?" Suzanne finally said.

"Um, I s'pose so," Jonathon said. "It's a bit complicated actually. But this is the Doctor and I asked him to come and mend you so you can get out of hospital and get back to work."

"Doctor who?" Suzanne said with a frown as she turned her attention back to the Doctor.

"Just the Doctor," the Doctor said, walking around to the side of the bed. "That's my name and doctoring people is one of my many talents. I've been reading your chart and I think I have the means to cure your cancer."

Suzanne raised her eyebrow.

"Seriously?" she said. "The other doctors said it was terminal."

"Yes, well I believe in getting a second opinion," the Doctor said. "I happen to disagree with these other doctors. I have more advanced techniques than they do and like my…brother said, I have come at his request to help heal you and get you back on your feet. That is, if you want me to do it because I won't do anything without your consent."

"Mate, if you can do all that, you have my consent," she said while both men chuckled. "I want to be cured in the worst way."

"Then I need to get you stabilized and we need to get you out of here so we can get back to my…office," the Doctor said. "However, we might have a couple of complications. Rose? Are the complications anywhere about?" he said, looking at her.

"Yeah, they're hanging around outside," Rose said, after peeking out the door. "I think they're waiting for us to come out."

"Well, if they're waiting for us, I say we don't disappoint them then," the Doctor said. "Come over here for the moment though, I want to tell you both my plan."


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty Eight

Charles stood in the hallway with his friend Trevor while they waited for Rose and her friends to come out of the room. They had been working on a group project together when Pete rang them and asked them to do a favor for him. Charles knew Rose, had worked with her before but Trevor had just joined Torchwood and had only been there four months so Charles had to explain to his friend who Rose was.

"So let me get this straight," Trevor said quietly to Charles while they waited up by the nurse's desk, "we just got pulled away from reverse engineering the Psyron suspension pods so we could go spy on the supervisor's daughter?"

"Stepdaughter," Charles said. "And yes, we got pulled away from our project so we could do this. He wants us to find out about her boyfriend. The boss hates him with a passion."

"Who the fuck cares? We have more important things to…"

He shut up when Charles held up his hand and pointed down the hall. Rose had stepped out into the hallway and was coming towards them.

"Hello, Rose," Charles said with a wave.

Rose stopped short and stared at him.

"Charles, is that you?" she said to him.

"Yeah, got my hair dyed blonde and trimmed short since I saw you last," he said, running his hand through his hair.

"Thought I knew you but who's this?" Rose said, gesturing to Trevor.

"This is Trevor, he's new," Charles said while Trevor waved.

"Yeah, nice to meet ya," Rose said stiffly to Trevor. "What the hell is this, Charles?"

"Well, Rose, your stepfather asked us to follow you," Charles said with a shrug.

"Did he say why?" Rose said.

"Something about he's pissed off at your boyfriend again and…"

He trailed off when he heard a thwack, thwack, thwack coming from Suzanne's hospital room. Everyone looked at the Doctor when he came out of the room, playing with a paddle ball. He adopted a casual pose while he continued to hit the tethered, red rubber ball with his wooden paddle. The thwack, thwack, thwack echoed through the corridor as he walked towards them. He continued to hit the ball while he walked, never missing, while he kept his eyes on the two men.

"Jonathon, what's going on?" Charles said to him.

"Sorry, not Jonathon, I'm afraid. He's in the room tending to his friend who is very, very ill. I'm the Doctor and I'm brilliant at paddle ball, see?"

He stopped near Rose and continued hitting the ball with the paddle. Charles sighed when the thwack, thwack, thwack began to get annoying.

"Will you please stop?" he finally said to the Doctor.

"Stop what?" the Doctor said, feigning innocence.

"That!" Charles said, pointing to the paddle. "Stop doing that."

"But I have a rhythm going," the Doctor said as he continued hitting the ball. "Can't muck up my rhythm, can I?"

"Look," Trevor said, stepping up to the Doctor, "whoever you are, stop hitting the ball and surrender yourself to us."

"But…I have a rhythm going now," the Doctor said calmly while he continued hitting the ball. "I don't want to lose my rhythm."

"You're going to lose your bloody head if you don't come with us," Trevor growled.

"Are you threatening me?" the Doctor said, feigning surprise.

Trevor unbuttoned his grey jacket and opened it, revealing a small revolver nestled in a holster on his hip. The Doctor continued to hit the ball with the paddle while he stared at it with wide eyes. Trevor sighed.

"Stop it before I shove that bloody ball down your throat!" Trevor growled at the Doctor.

Rose started to step in front of the Doctor in order to confront Trevor but the Doctor stopped her with his free hand while he continued to hit the ball with the paddle.

"Well, you gonna come with us quietly?" Trevor said to the Doctor.

"No, I'm gonna do this instead," the Doctor said.

Suddenly without warning, the Doctor hit the ball directly at Trevor's forehead. He gasped when the ball thwacked him and he staggered back. Charles grunted when the Doctor backhanded him with the paddle and then quickly wrapped the rubber tether around Trevor's neck. He gripped the tether with both hands while Trevor froze and stared at Charles with wide eyes.

"Now, I don't know who you are," the Doctor said to Trevor, "but you work for Torchwood and that makes you and your friend my enemies. I came here in peace and I'm going to leave here in peace. I don' t know what Pete has in mind for us but I'm sure it involves dissection, probes and enslavement and those are three things that make me extremely cross. So if I were you, I'd leave with your friend here. Unless, of course, you want to go through the rare and extremely embarrassing death by paddle ball."

Trevor gasped when he tightened the tether on Trevor's throat. The Doctor jerked his head up and glared at Charles. Charles took a step back when he saw how dark his eyes had become and he sensed that the Time Lord was more than willing to make good on his threat. He held up his hands while the Doctor continued his grip on the tether.

"Look, mate, we're only doing our jobs, yeah?" Charles said.

"Yeah, I know, and it's because of you doing your jobs that innocent aliens have been brought down, tortured, killed and their technology seized all in the name of homeworld security. Well, this is one alien who won't be easy to enslave and kill. So if I were you, I'd take your friend here and swan off before I take you both apart, piece by piece. Got it?"

He loosened the tether and Trevor gasped when he was able to get a full breath of air. The Doctor pulled the paddle and ball away from him and Trevor gasped when the Doctor shoved him roughly into Charles's arms.

"Go," the Doctor said in a deadly tone of voice, "this is my first and only warning. If you continue to follow and harass us, you do it at your own peril. And be sure to tell Pete that the warning applies to him and to any other worker at Torchwood. If you continue to bother us, I'll raze Canary Wharf and turn it and everything in it into a scrap heap. Now go!"

"Better do as he says," Rose said to them. "Trust me; you don't want to get on his bad side."

Charles tugged on Trevor's jacket.

"Come on, mate, back to base," he said to his friend.

"Yes, back to your work, little humans. Forget you ever saw me," the Doctor said. "And I mean that."

Both men backed up several paces and then turned and quickly headed for the lift. The Doctor and Rose watched them go until they got into the lift. Then the Doctor exhaled and put the paddle and ball back into his trouser pocket.

"Now maybe we can help Suzanne in peace," he said to Rose.

"Actually…" Rose said, poking his arm, "kinda hopin' they'll come back so I can see you kill them with the paddleball."

"Why Rose Tyler, I never knew you were so bloodthirsty," the Doctor said with a wink.

Rose chuckled and followed the Doctor as they walked back towards Suzanne's room.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty Nine

"Right, now that that's sorted we can get back to the task at hand," the Doctor said as they walked back into Suzanne's room.

The Doctor smiled when he noticed that Suzanne looked better than when he left the room. The color had returned to her face and she was sitting up and smiling. Jonathon was standing beside her, a huge grin on his face.

"Wow, whatever that stuff was Jonathon used, it worked wonders for me," Suzanne said when the Doctor and Rose came up to the left side of the bed. "What was that?"

"Oh, just a special blend designed to boost the immune system and increase energy," the Doctor said. "Something I came up with during one of my many moments of brilliance. And speaking of brilliance, I'm also brilliant at paddleball."

Suzanne laughed when he pulled out the paddle and ball and began to bat the ball up into the air.

"Um…Jonathon told me the truth about you and him while you were out there," Suzanne said.

"Not now, I have a rhythm going," the Doctor said.

He sniggered when Rose rolled her eyes at that and stopped the ball in midair.

"Only joking. What exactly did he tell you?" the Doctor said, putting the ball and paddle back in his pocket.

"I told him how I was related to you and a brief explanation of how I landed up here," Jonathon said.

"And what do you think?" the Doctor asked Suzanne while he pulled a syringe out of his pocket.

"Um…well, it's a bit of a shock hearing that my best mate was a clone grown from someone else's hand and that he's half alien," she said while the Doctor injected a pale green liquid into her IV tube.

"I tried to tell her that I won't anal probe her or eat her brains or anything like that," Jonathon said.

"Nope, Jonathon's a top bloke, a real keeper, you won't find a better friend," the Doctor said. "Now...what I just put in your saline drip will also help to boost your immune system. You see, I need to get you to my ship so I can do a proper cure."

"I thought it was your office," Suzanne said, amused.

"Well, it is an office of sorts, a very, very big office. But…wait here and I'll find Matron and ask if we can take you out of this wretched place."

"It's not wretched, they have a little shop," Rose said.

"Oh, never mind then, I take that back," the Doctor said while Rose giggled. "Any hospital with a little shop is not wretched. Anyway, gotta go, gotta go, be back in a mo!"

The Doctor left the room. Suzanne watched him go and then looked at Jonathon.

"So…you came from him, did you?" she said while Rose giggled.

"Yup. This used to be a part of him," Jonathon said, showing her his right hand. "I grew out of this bit of body part."

"Um, hey, everyone…"

Suzanne and Jonathon glanced at Rose and saw her pointing to the next bed. Suzanne groaned.

"Oh, I forgot about my roommate," she said to them. "She's most likely been listening in."

"I most certainly have, love," the elderly woman said from behind the curtain. "Interesting conversation, I must say. Now that I've been discovered, you wouldn't happen to have more of that energy boosting stuff, would you?"

Jonathon walked behind the curtain and saw her. She was short and extremely thin but her blue eyes were bright and her hair was long and silky and it flowed down her back while she sat up in the bed. She had an IV drip with the needle going into her right wrist and on a nearby table was a pitcher of water and several pill bottles.

"So…what's your name then?" Jonathon said.

"Bertie," she said. "Bertie Warwick."

"Nice to meet you, Bertie Warwick. I'm Jonathon Smith. I would love to help you but I'm not the one in charge of the meds. I'll have to ask the Doctor when he returns. What's wrong with you?"

"Cancer, dear, like her. I have colon cancer."

"I'll see what I can do. Wait here," Jonathon said.

"Love, I don't think I'll get very far if I try to leave," Bertie said with a chuckle. "If I could walk, I wouldn't be here."

"Doctor, you're needed behind the curtain," Jonathon heard Rose say.

He looked over when the Doctor poked his head around the curtain.

"Um…Rose said I'm needed," the Doctor said with wide eyes.

"This is Bertie," Jonathon said as he gestured to her. "She heard everything and she wants your help."

"I wouldn't mind a bit of that energy stuff you're giving her," Bertie said to the Doctor as he came around the curtain. "I have colon cancer, you see, and I could do with a bit of a boost."

"Well, I have extra but…you see, I had to fight to get my friend discharged and I don't think they'd let both of you go and my ship has to reserve power so…"

Bertie held up her hand.

"Love, I'm 87 years old, I'm ready to go," she said to him. "I don't want a cure for this old body, just a bit of a boost for today so I can do my crossword puzzle. If you can do that for me, I'd be grateful."

"Very well then," the Doctor said, reaching into his pocket.

He pulled out a syringe and injected the sea green liquid into her IV tube. Bertie smiled as she watched the serum mix with her saline solution and she patted his hand.

"Thank you, love, I needed that."

"Happy to help," the Doctor said, disposing of the syringe in a nearby trash can. "I only ask in return that you don't tell anyone what you heard today."

"What do you think I am? Thick?" Bertie said while Rose giggled. "You do realize at my age if I go around telling people a space alien and his clone were in hospital injecting people with magic boost potion that I would be declared senile and most likely sectioned? I'm old but I'm not stupid, thank you very much."

They laughed when she winked and took turns giving her hugs. They wished her well and Bertie wished them luck as they walked back around the curtain. Suzanne was sitting up in bed.

"Doing your good deed for today?" Suzanne said to them.

"I always do my daily good deed. I'm a good little boy scout," the Doctor said. "In fact, come to think of it, I probably invented the boy scouts. But…let me go get the nurse since she's waiting for you and she'll bring in a wheelchair so we can get going. Jonathon, Rose, look after her, I'll be right back."

He left the room and Suzanne looked at Jonathon.

"So…I take it once we're finished here, you might not be coming back to work with us?" Suzanne said.

"I don't think so. I think he's going to take us with him. Pete wants to get his claws into me and I'm not safe here any longer," Jonathon said.

"I'll miss you and I'm sure everyone else will as well but if you have to go," Suzanne said.

Rose smiled when Jonathon gave her a hug.

"You won't miss me, you'll be glad I'm gone ten seconds after I've left," he said to her.

"Yeah, you're right, I'll miss Boots more than you," Suzanne said.

"That's right, we can't forget my Bootsie," Jonathon said.

They looked over at the door when the Doctor came inside followed by an African American nurse. The nurse was wheeling in a wheelchair. She put it by the bed and locked it.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the nurse asked Suzanne.

"Yes, I'm sure," Suzanne said. "This man is my doctor and he has a new treatment he wants to try on me. I figure I have nothing to lose so I'm going."

"Alright but you have to sign the discharge papers on your way out," the nurse said as the Doctor and Jonathon helped Suzanne stand up and ease down into the wheelchair.

After she was in the wheelchair and comfortable, the nurse unlocked it and Jonathon led her out the door while the nurse and Rose followed. The Doctor held back for a moment, stuck his head around the curtain and said goodbye to Bertie with a wink. Bertie giggled and waved back at him and he gave her a big cheesy grin before he hurried to catch up with everyone else.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Pete sat at his desk while Charles and Trevor stood in front of him. He stared at them in silence for a few minutes while they shifted nervously. Finally, Pete leaned up.

"So let me get this straight," Pete said to Trevor. "You had a gun in your possession and yet the Doctor was able to subdue you with a bloody children's toy, am I hearing that right?"

"Um…yeah," Trevor said, looking away. "That's…that's right, he did."

"And was your gun loaded?" Pete said.

"Yeah, it was," Trevor muttered.

"So…why didn't you use it then?" Pete said.

"Well, we were in the hospital and there were people around us," Trevor said.

"Didn't you have a silencer?" Pete said as he tried to stay calm.

"Um…no…no, I didn't," Trevor said sheepishly.

Pete sighed angrily and rubbed the bridge of his nose while Charles and Trevor shared a look.

"It's just as well," Pete finally said with a sigh. "If you did shoot him, he would have regenerated and it would have been like dealing with a wounded animal. You wouldn't have stood a chance."

"So what do we do now?" Charles said. "He said he came here in peace, he was trying to heal one of Jonathon's friends."

"That's as may be but he's valuable to us. He could be a great asset to Torchwood, especially with all his knowledge and expertise, he should work for us instead of gallivanting around time and space causing trouble and making more of himself."

"So what do we do?" Trevor said.

"I'll handle it," Pete said, getting to his feet. "I just need one of the force field cages so we can contain him."

"How will you find him though? I don't think he was going to stay in the hospital," Charles said.

"I'll use the GPS microchip we put in Rose several years ago. I can track her and wherever she is, the Doctor will be with her," Pete said, reaching into his drawer and pulling out a small black handheld device."

Pete punched in Rose's name on a small keypad on the device and smiled when a small red dot appeared on a road map on the GPS's monitor.

"Got her," Pete said.

"Pete, are you sure this is wise?" Charles said. "The Doctor isn't someone to be trifled with, you said that yourself."

"Yes, but this is a matter of national security. If these people can't be put away permanently, at the very least they need to be retconned so they won't have any memories of Torchwood or anything they've seen here. Besides, the Doctor hates us. He might be on a mission of mercy right now but I'm willing to bet he'll try to take us down the same way he took down the Torchwood in his reality and we've come too far and worked too hard to let that happen. For the good of the country I need to do this."

Meanwhile, Rose was driving everyone through the streets of London. The men let Suzanne sit in the front while the two of them sat side by side in the back. From time to time, Suzanne kept glancing back at them and finally she giggled.

"What's so funny?" Rose said to her.

"Just odd. It's like having two Jonathons behind me," Suzanne said to her.

"No, it's like having two Doctors, I was here first," the Doctor said. "He's me. I'm not him."

"You are him," Rose said, glancing at him in the rearview mirror. "That was your whole rationale when you left him with me, remember?"

"I s'pose but then again it's akin to the whole which came first, chicken or egg debate," the Doctor said.

"You came first," Rose said while the Doctor grinned. "You can't compare you and Jonathon with that debate since we knew who came first."

"Are you sure? Maybe when the hand grew, I switched places with him," the Doctor said, pointing to Jonathon.

"Right, Doctor," Rose said while the men sniggered at that. "Anyway, we're nearly to Jonathon's flat now so just relax and…"

"Wait, we're going to my TARDIS, Rose," the Doctor said. "The med bay isn't in his flat."

"No, but Boots is and if we're leaving with you, we need to stop and get her."

"Boots?" the Doctor said with a frown.

"My kitten," Jonathon said.

"Hang about, you have a kitten?" the Doctor said to Jonathon.

"Yes, I do. I needed a friend when the situation looked bleak and I found Boots one night and took her home with me. I'm not leaving this universe without her."

"Wait," the Doctor said, holding up his hand.

He paused for a moment in a dramatic silence and then leaned in to his clone.

"Do I get petting and cuddling rights?" he asked Jonathon.

"If you promise to let me do the same. I won't let you hog my kitten and keep her all to yourself."

"I'd never!" the Doctor said. "I just need snuggles and cuddles from time to time is all and…"

"Wait a tic, you hate cats," Rose said, interrupting him. "You told me that when we were in 2012, remember? After the cat nuns chasing ya, you didn't want cats anywhere near you?"

"Yes, well, that was true until I happened to meet a lovely chap named Brannigan. He was one of the cats on New Earth and he had a human wife called Valerie and they had kittens together and I held them and I got wubby feelings and now I like…"

"Wait," Suzanne said, looking back at him. "This Brannigan was a cat?"

"Yes. A human-like cat, he was a cat with human features but still a cat," the Doctor said.

"But his wife was completely human?" Suzanne said.

"Yes."

"And the human had actual kittens?" Suzanne said in disbelief.

"Yes. Lovely litter too. Cute and cuddly and fluffy. They gave me the aforementioned wubby feelings and now I like kittens and…"

"Yes, but explain to me how a human gives birth to kittens," Suzanne said while Rose giggled. "If the husband was a cat human, shouldn't the babies be cat humans too?"

"No, because they were kittens and that's the way they came out of the womb. If they were meant to be cat human, they would have been cat human," the Doctor said.

"Yes, but…I mean…"

"Don't try to argue with him," Rose said to Suzanne when she trailed off and stared at the Doctor in confusion. "You won't win, trust me."

"If you say so," Suzanne murmured, turning her head back around.

"What matters is, little Boots will become an official time traveling cat," the Doctor said. "I can't wait to meet her."

"Well, the meeting is about to begin because we're here," Rose said, pulling up in front of Jonathon's apartment building.

Jonathon got out of the car. The Doctor watched while he entered the building and when he was inside, he looked at Rose.

"A kitten, haven't had one in donkey's years," he said to Rose. "It'll be nice having a little furry friend onboard."

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Suzanne said, turning around in her seat.

"Sure, ask away," the Doctor said.

"If you're alien why do you talk like a British person? Is your planet British?" Suzanne said.

"No, it wasn't. However, when I first came to Earth, I explored England first and I loved the country and also the people and the culture. As the years went on, I picked up a bit of the lingo and tried to blend in with the Earthlings. And actually, I took this information back to my home planet, Gallifrey, and a few others began to use British slang as I did. I've been over all of Earth but England will always have a special place in my hearts."

"Makes more sense than the woman giving birth to kittens," Suzanne said to Rose.

"I know but believe me, I've seen stranger things out there than a woman giving birth to kittens," Rose replied.

"Yes, like the Grand Poobah of Pabashan who spoke out of his anus," the Doctor said. "Which was a bit of a problem at times since part of the ritual of greeting the Grand Poobah was giving him a friendly kiss on the mouth and since his mouth was his anus it took a bit of nerve to kiss it. Not to mention he still farted from his anus and when he talked and let one rip at the same time it was a bit uncomfortable."

Rose laughed when she saw the silent shock on Suzanne's face.

"An…alien who speaks from his bum," she finally said. "And you liked traveling with him?"

"Oh yeah, it's the best, just takes some getting used to, is all," Rose said. "After awhile, you get used to aliens speaking out of their bum."

"If you say so," Suzanne said, shaking her head in disbelief. "I think I'll leave the time traveling to you lot."

They all looked over when the door opened and Jonathon emerged holding a small kitty carrier and a large brown paper bag. The Doctor took the kitty carrier from Jonathon when he opened the door and eagerly opened the door. He let out a squeal when he took her out and examined her. Jonathon closed the door and let Rose know he was ready.

"Ooooh, Boots is so adooorable," the Doctor said, holding Boots against his chest and petting her. "Hello, little Boots, I'm the Doctor. I'm so happy to meet you."

Rose giggled when she looked at the Doctor in the rearview mirror and saw him acting like a kid at Christmas as he stroked and cooed over the kitten. The Doctor reached over, opened the brown bag and peeked in while he held Boots in his left hand.

"What we got for you, eh?" he said to Boots in a soft voice while he moved around the objects in the bag. "We got toys here and kitty treats. Jonathon's treated you well. You're like a little princess, aren't you?"

He beamed when Boots mewed at him.

"Awww, she just said yes," the Doctor said. "And I mean that literally. I can speak cat, you know."

"Seriously? You can talk to cats?" Suzanne said to him.

"I can speak every language in the universe and since cats speak with a kitty language, I can speak with her. Eh, Boots?"

Suzanne giggled when the Doctor began to mew at Boots in a high-pitched voice. Boots responded back with mewing and the Doctor's face lit up even more. He gave Boots a kiss on the head before handing him to Jonathon. The two women looked at each other when the men fretted and fussed over the mewling kitten while they let her play with her toys and fed her treats.

"Hopefully we'll be able to pull these two away from Boots long enough to cure you," Rose said to Suzanne. "Otherwise, you're gonna have a very long wait."

"Rose!" the Doctor said, tapping her repeatedly on the shoulder. "Boots just yawned and opened her cute little mouth, isn't that brilliant?"

"If you say so, Doctor," Rose said, rolling her eyes while Suzanne laughed.

"Boots is so smart. One of the smartest cats I've ever seen, she'll make the perfect time kitty," the Doctor said while he and Jonathon stroked her.

"They're never gonna let that cat have one moment of peace," Rose said to Suzanne as she turned a corner and the men continued to coo and cuddle Boots.

Twenty minutes later, the Doctor directed Rose to stop and she pulled up near the TARDIS. Suzanne stared at the time ship when they got out of the car and Rose pointed it out to her.

"Your spaceship is a phone box?" Suzanne said to the Doctor.

"Bigger on the inside, you'll see," the Doctor said.

He smiled when Jonathon got out of the car with the bag and the kitty carrier. Boots mewed from inside it and the Doctor leaned over, smiling at Boots as he stared at her through the small metal bars on the front.

"Don't worry, Bootsie, you're going to a new home now," the Doctor said to the mewling kitten.

He straightened up and took his key out of his pocket. Everyone else followed him as he walked to his TARDIS and unlocked the door.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty One

Suzanne froze when she entered the TARDIS and looked around.

"Okay, this blows the woman giving kittens and the man talking out of his anus completely out of the water," she said to Rose. "How is this possible?"

"Everything except the front door is sitting in another dimension," Rose said to her as she closed the doors. "You get used to this as well. With the Doctor, anything's possible, which is why Jonathon asked him to come here."

"Well, remind me to give Jonathon a big kiss for thinking of bringing him here," Suzanne said.

She looked at the Doctor when he beckoned to her and she and Rose followed him. Jonathon took Boots to the kitchen to get her some food and water while the Doctor, Rose and Suzanne went the other way towards the med bay. On the way there, Suzanne couldn't stop gaping at the interior and the coral walls with the roundels that cast a soft light on them. They were nearly to the med bay when the TARDIS began grunting. The Doctor froze and Rose and Suzanne stopped behind him. They watched while the Doctor listened to the TARDIS's grunting before letting out an angry sigh.

"What is it?" Rose asked him.

"TARDIS said that Pete is outside her door trying to break in here. Blast, he's not gonna give up," the Doctor said, shaking his head. "Well, he'll just have to wait. The old girl will keep him at bay until we're finished with this."

He beckoned to the women and they followed him. Suzanne whistled softly when they entered the med bay and she looked around at the high tech equipment.

"Wow, this puts the hospital to shame," she said to the Doctor. "No wonder Torchwood wants you so badly."

"Yes, Petey boy would love to get his hands on this stuff, among other things," the Doctor said, leading her to a cushioned exam table. "Which is why he's not getting a thing and that includes me. He may think he's big and bad because he has Torchwood backing him up but he'll find out really quickly just how badly matched he is compared to me. Now, I'm going to run a quick scan for the TARDIS so she can help me cure you. Just relax, it's completely painless. TARDIS?"

Suzanne watched while a wide laser beam came out of the ceiling. It scanned her from head to toe before ending and then the Doctor walked over to a computer when he heard a beeping and saw data on the monitor. Whistling softly, he then walked to a cabinet and began pulling out several bottles. Once he had what he needed, he opened a drawer, got out an IV bag and tubing and hung the bag on a small hook under the cabinet. He opened the bag and opened the bottles, measuring out portions of the liquids inside and pouring them into the bag, making a cocktail of medicine for Suzanne. Rose walked over to him and watched.

"What's all this?" she said, pointing to the bottles.

"Stuff, Miss Nosy," the Doctor said curtly while he opened another bottle. "Got anymore rude, nosy questions for me?"

He giggled when Rose swatted his arm and he gave her a pat on the head.

"This is just various medicines to combat all parts of the cancer," he said to her. "Combining them together will increase the potency and ensure that the cure is holistic."

"Gee, and no cat nun in sight," Rose quipped.

"Yes and no human clones, either," the Doctor said. "All this comes from the old noggin and…"

The TARDIS grunted and Rose watched while the Doctor sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Your beloved father is still at it. He apparently is trying to drain off the TARDIS's residual power with some alien device that he's put on her side so he can break in here."

"Let me talk to him, Doctor," Rose said.

"No, I need to handle this. Pete needs to learn a lesson about mucking around with a Time Lord and…"

The TARDIS grunted again. Rose noticed the Doctor's shocked look and asked her what was wrong.

"Apparently, Jonathon has decided to masquerade as me and confront him. He's in the wardrobe room changing into a suit like mine, presumably so he can pass himself off as me."

"Just stay here, I'll talk to him, yeah?" Rose said.

The Doctor nodded and finished what he was doing while Rose ran out of the room. She asked the TARDIS to move the wardrobe room to her and she instantly found the entrance in front of her. Jonathon who had just finished coming down the stairs and was about to go out the door was startled when he suddenly found her in front of him. She ran to him and threw his arms around him.

"No, don't, you don't know what Pete might do," she said, putting her hand on Jonathon's blue suit jacket.

"Rose, he's not going to stop unless someone does something. The Doctor's busy so it's all down to me. I'm expendable."

"How can you say that? You're not expendable. Don't think that just because he's here that means you can just throw yourself at Pete and die trying to protect us. I love you and that's not going to change. Besides, the Doctor can regenerate, you can't and if you die, I'll never recover from it."

"I know and I love you too but he's about to drain all the power from the TARDIS and strand us here. We can't let that happen. The Doctor needs to tend to Suzanne so I need to pass myself off as him."

"Then I'm going out there with you," Rose said.

Rose gave him a challenging look and Jonathon sighed and nodded. Then the TARDIS began grunting and grumbling again and Jonathon listened. Rose sighed when he saw a smile spread across his face.

"It's time like this that I wished the TARDIS spoke English," she said to Jonathon. "I hate not knowing what's going on."

"She said that she has some protection for us to compensate for our humanity. Force fields that are invisible and will cover us from head to toe so we'll be invulnerable to anything Pete has in mind. She has them for us in the console room."

"Great, I'm glad someone's looking out for us," Rose said. "Does the Doctor know about this?"

The TARDIS let out a grunt and Jonathon nodded. Rose shrugged.

"Okay, lead the way "Doctor"," she said to him.

"Molto bene!" Jonathon said.

Rose grinned. She took his hand and they walked towards the console room.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty Two

"There we go," the Doctor said as he finished inserting the IV needle into Suzanne's vein. "Now, have a rest and let the concoction work its magic."

He put the bag on an IV pole and helped her over to a bed in the corner of the med bay. The TARDIS had put fresh linen on it and the Doctor pulled back the white sheet and blanket and covered her back up when Suzanne got in. He made sure the tubing wasn't obstructed while he put the IV pole by the bedside.

"Thanks for everything," Suzanne said as she got comfortable.

"You're very welcome. I'm happy that Jonathon got through to me and I managed to come here and help you. You're a very sweet woman and it would be a shame if you died young. Now I'm going to dim the lights a bit so you can sleep and I'll check on you after I'm done sorting out the mess with Pete."

"Listen; please take care of Rose and Jonathon. I care about them deeply and I don't want anything to happen to them," Suzanne said.

"I will. But…you can come along as well, if you want," the Doctor said.

"And meet people who talk out of their anus?" Suzanne said, amused.

"Well, it's not just anus talking people out there. There's so much more. There's danger, of course, but there's also beauty and excitement. So…interested?"

"Dunno, have to think about it. I need to heal first."

"Of course, just let me know before we leave. But for the moment, have a good rest and I'll be back later," he said.

Suzanne nodded and the Doctor ordered the TARDIS to dim the lights as he left the room. The lights dimmed and Suzanne sighed through her nose as she closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

Meanwhile, Pete was calibrating a small circular metal device that he had attached to the side of the TARDIS.

"This stupid machine isn't going to keep me out, Doctor," Pete said as he finished his calibrations.

"How dare you, my ship isn't stupid!"

Pete's head jerked around and he saw Jonathon and Rose standing near him. Rose quickly closed the door when he came around the side.

"So, Doctor, you finally decided to show your face, eh?" Pete said, folding his arms over his chest.

"Um…I showed my face to you earlier and I believe I told you to go away or else," Jonathon said. "Apparently, you're either deaf or thick since you sent your friends and now you're here trying to tamper with my ship. Something else I frown on since no one mucks with my TARDIS. Shall I now show you what happens to people who try to break into my ship?"

"You don't scare me, Doctor. Unlike you, I use actual weapons and not children's toys when I attack people."

"I try not to attack people with weapons. I prefer to use my brain, perhaps you should do the same and give the gun a rest," Jonathon said.

Pete reached behind him and pulled a gun out of the waistband of his trousers. Rose stepped in front of Jonathon when her stepfather aimed it at him.

"Wait, listen to him and use your brain for a change instead of just shooting and kidnapping everything," she said angrily.

"Rose, get out of the way," Pete snarled at her.

"No, I won't. I'm tired of your behavior. You've gone off your trolley and if this is how my dad acted, I'm glad he wasn't around to bring me up. You're being irrational and paranoid and you need to grow the fuck up, Pete! God, Tony acts more mature than you do. The Doctor isn't a threat to you and neither is Jonathon. Jonathon's treated you with respect and he tried to make the best of a bad situation and you spit on him and called him worthless just because you don't like the man he came from. He's not a bad person but you make him out to be the villain and…argh, you realize how depressed he was because you were constantly browbeating him and putting him down and making him feel like he was a speck of dirt. Is that any way to behave? What's wrong, did you need to lower his self esteem in order to boost your own?"

"I admit I was angry and may have said some harsh words but according to Jackie, Jonathon is a threat to the universe which is why he dumped him in your lap. If he's a threat, shouldn't he be locked up somewhere?"

"Like Torchwood?" Rose spat out. "So he can be dissected and analyzed and harvested and possibly cloned? Is that where he should be locked up, Pete?"

"Yes, but…"

"But nothing! He's not a science experiment and neither is the Doctor. Both men fight evil. Okay, yes, occasionally people get hurt or even killed but that's not their intention. Not all aliens are hostile. Both of these men would give everything, even their lives, to save the universe. And as for being a threat, well, even the Doctor can be wrong at times. Now, we're busy trying to cure our friend and once that's finished, we're leaving this universe so you don't have to worry about us destroying it. Now piss off!"

"What about your mother then?" Pete snapped at her.

"If she and Tony want to come with us, the Doctor will go get them. But you…you're not invited," Rose said smugly. "The Doctor thought you were a threat to the universe."

"Why do you keep referring to him in third person when he's right…"

Pete trailed off as he stared at Jonathon. His eyes narrowed.

"Wait, this is Jonathon, isn't it?" he said to Rose.

"Blast, the game is up. Ah well, it's a fair cop," Jonathon said with a shrug. "Yup, I'm the clone, now what ya gonna do about it?"

Pete pointed his gun at him.

"I'm going to take you back to Torchwood with me before you do something to this or any other universe," Pete said.

"Pete, put the gun down!" Rose snarled at him.

Pete tried to get past her but Rose grabbed the gun. Jonathon tried to pull them apart while they fought for control of the gun. Then Pete froze when he heard the gun go off. He looked down at it and noticed it was pointed directly at Rose's chest. He paled and stepped back in shock but then he realized that Rose was still standing and there was no blood. He stared at her in shock while Rose smirked back and lifted her shirt to show him a small silver box clipped to the waistline of her jeans.

"Personal force fields, we both have one," Rose said. "The TARDIS is alive and knew you were here trying to break in and decided we might need protection when we came outside so she gave us these. Now I'm glad she did. But she's already aware you're here and the moment you go inside her, she'll trap you and most likely you'll end up in a cell. So if I were you, I'd take that thing off her side and go the fuck away before I decide to turn the gun on you. And I seriously doubt you're protected by force field so I'm betting a gunshot to the chest will be fatal. Now I'm giving you one last chance to go before I call the real Doctor out here to deal with you."

Pete narrowed his eyes as he switched on the safety on his gun.

"Get out of here and don't come back…ever," he growled at her.

"Gladly," Rose said. "My place is with Jonathon and the Doctor so I have no intention of returning. However, I will ring mum and ask her if she wants to come as well so be aware of that. Now…go!"

They watched while Pete ripped the energy drainer off the side of the TARDIS. Rose folded her arms over her chest and Jonathon stood behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders while they watched Pete stomp away. Once he was out of sight, Rose turned to Jonathon. Both of them turned off their force fields and shared a tender kiss before Jonathon snapped his fingers and opened the TARDIS door.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty Three

While Jonathon closed the front doors, Rose looked around the console room. Her eyes settled on the Doctor when he stuck his head around the central column. He was sitting on his jump seat and beckoned to them when Jonathon finished locking the door. When they walked around the console, they noticed that Boots was in the Doctor's lap and he was stroking her while she knead her claws on his leg.

"So, how'd it go?" the Doctor asked them.

"I think he finally got the message," Jonathon said.

"Good. What was the gunshot though?"

"That was Pete. He was trying to shoot Jonathon and I wrestled him for the gun and it went off and hit my force field so I wasn't injured," Rose said.

"Wow, he really was serious this time," the Doctor said with wide eyes.

"Yeah, he was determined to show us that the gun was mightier than a bloody children's toy," Jonathon said.

"Nothing's mightier than my paddleball. I'm absolutely brilliant with it. No gun can stand up to it and…now, what are you doing?" the Doctor said when Boots started climbing up his body toward his face. "Are you coming to say hello? Is that it?"

"How is Suzanne?" Rose said, while the Doctor kissed Boots's head.

"She's fine. She's resting," the Doctor said, smiling as Boots curled up right under his chin and purred softly. "You know, I'm betting she thinks I'm Jonathon. She's very friendly. The last cat I had couldn't care less about me. Used to wander the TARDIS and I wouldn't see him for days."

"When was this?" Rose said.

"Seventh life. My companion Ace suggested I get one. Never had one before and I wasn't too impressed with George once I had him. Boots, however, is different. She's very affectionate. This is the sort of cat I could love," he said while Boots fell asleep under his chin. "So…would you be so kind, Jonathon, as to set the coordinates for the Tyler mansion? Even if Jackie and Tony aren't going with us, they deserve to know what's going on."

"Yes, I'm sure mum will be very interested to learn that Pete nearly shot me," Rose said while Jonathon moved to the console.

The Doctor watched while Jonathon worked the controls of the console. He noticed that he hesitated at times with a frown of confusion on his face before pressing the right thing.

"You're second guessing yourself at times," the Doctor said to him. "It's because your Time Lord mind isn't complete so you have to struggle to remember."

"Yeah," Jonathon said. "Plus, I'm a little out of practice. The TARDIS has been cluing me in as well when I can't remember."

"Speaking of…what about Donna?" Rose said. "Where's she?"

The Doctor winced. He told them what happened to her while Jonathon finished powering up the TARDIS. Both Rose and Jonathon stared at the Doctor in shock when he finished his explanation. Rose swallowed hard.

"So…" she said, "if her human mind couldn't handle the Time Lord part, does that mean that could happen to Jonathon at some point?"

"No, I don't think so. Donna took the majority of his Time Lord mind with her which is why Jonathon is stable. What knowledge he has isn't enough to cause a meltdown in his mind."

"That's a relief," Jonathon said. "But nothing can be done for Donna?"

"I'm not sure," the Doctor said. "If there's something out there that could help her, I haven't been able to find it or think of it. But…you never know. It may be impossible to restore her but impossible things are my specialty."

The rotor started up and it oscillated while the TARDIS moved to the Tyler mansion. Rose sat down beside the Doctor while Jonathon kept an eye on the console. Rose looked at Boots who was sleeping peacefully under the Doctor's chin and she giggled.

"You are gonna let Jonathon spend time with his cat, yeah?" she said to the Doctor.

"Well, yes. At the moment though, Bootsie is having a kip underneath my chin and I don't want to move and wake her up. She's being a good little time kitty."

The TARDIS landed and powered down.

"We're here," Jonathon said, looking at the Doctor. "Tyler mansion."

"You lot stay here, I'll handle things with mum," Rose said. "I don't want Pete sneaking up on either of you and snatching you away from me."

"Three of us, you're forgetting time kitty," the Doctor said, pointing to sleeping Boots.

Rose grinned at that. She brushed her fingers along Boots's back. The kitten resumed purring in her sleep and Rose smiled wider at that. The Doctor watched while Rose kissed Jonathon and gave his hand a squeeze before she walked to the front door. Once she was outside, the Doctor looked at Jonathon who was still standing by the console.

"So," the Doctor said to Jonathon, "here we are again after I thought I'd never see you again. Or Rose for that matter. She just keeps popping up in my life in the strangest ways."

"Is that a bad thing?" Jonathon said.

"No," the Doctor said.

"What about me? Wouldn't you rather have Rose to yourself than have your clone tagging along with you?"

"I can't be with her, not like you can," the Doctor said. "I think Rose realizes that now since she hasn't begged me to take her back. I want Rose to be happy and I think you're the solution to the whole Curse of the Time Lords thing. I also misjudged you. You're not the threat I thought you were. Any man who brings home an adorable bundle of fur like this can't be all bad," he added, glancing down at Boots who was still sleeping peacefully. "You know what would be a good idea? Make Boots a little suit. After all she is our time kitty now, might as well dress the part."

"Yeah and Rose will have us both sectioned for that," Jonathon said while his counterpart chuckled.

"So, are you going to marry her then?" the Doctor asked Jonathon.

"Yes. We planned to," Jonathon said.

"Well, good on ya, mate. I want both of you to be happy and grow old together. Of course, you'll protect her just as fiercely as I would."

"I'd do no less," Jonathon said.

"Good. Because she's a rare jewel," the Doctor said.

"That she is."

"Good, I'm glad we see eye to eye. If you're going to be here, I want us to get along. There's no reason we shouldn't, being the same person. I'm sure the pizza shop was fine but you were meant for better things than that. In fact, I asked Suzanne if she'd like to come as well. She said she'd think it over. I think at the moment she's more focused on recovery."

"I'd love to have her come with us. I think she'd be a good companion," Jonathon said.

"She's certainly a fighter, I could tell that just from what little I know of her. But, even if she doesn't come with us, at least she'll be safe."

Jonathon nodded. They looked over when the front door opened and Rose came inside. She was holding Tony's hand and Jackie followed them.

"So, you've come back," Jackie said to the Doctor.

"Yes, I'm like a bad penny, always turn up," the Doctor said. "I'm sorry, can't get up, I'm being used as a bed at the moment."

Tony smiled when he saw Boots and walked over to the jump seat. The Doctor tousled his hair while he reached out and gently stroked the kitten. Boots began to purr again and the Doctor chuckled.

"Yup, the time kitty will be spoiled rotten in here," he said. "So…Jackie, did Rose explain everything?"

"Yes and I'm upset that Pete pulled a gun on my child," Jackie said.

"Well, I should hope so. He sounds a bit unhinged to me," the Doctor said.

He smiled when Tony took Boots off his chest. The kitten opened her eyes and purred when Tony put it against his chest and stroked her back. Jackie smiled at that before turning her attention back to the Doctor.

"I admit that he's been acting a bit irrational but he's been good to me and Rose."

"That's not what I heard," the Doctor said. "At least as far as Rose is concerned and I heard he's been an arse when it comes to Jonathon."

"Well, can you blame him, Doctor? You dumped him out onto the beach and left him stranded with us," Jackie said.

"But that doesn't give him the right to treat me like dirt. That wasn't my fault," Jonathon said to her. "I tried to make this odd arrangement of ours work but he never wanted to be my friend and he couldn't stand the fact that Rose wanted me."

"He's just being a concerned parent," Jackie said.

"No, he was just being a wanker," Rose said.

"Rose, watch your language," Jackie said, pointing to Tony.

"Sorry, mum," Rose said to her. "But it's the truth. As far as being good to me, he provided for my material needs but he never wanted to be my dad. He hates the fact that I got dumped in his lap just like he hates that he got stuck with Jonathon. I don't know how my real dad acted but I hope to God he wasn't a right bastard like this Pete is. I'm tired of him, mum. I'd rather be with the Doctor and Jonathon and go back to my old life."

"What about you? Would you like to come with us?" the Doctor said.

"No, I have no desire to go zoomin' around time and space fightin' monsters and Tony is too young to go with you," Jackie said.

"Then come with us and live in the other London so I can see ya," Rose said.

"Rose, I love Pete, I don't want to go and I don't want Tony to be separated from his father. You may not have any ties to him but he does and it wouldn't be fair for me to rip him away and take him to another universe. You're old enough to make your own decisions and if you want to go with them, I won't stop you. I just hope you're making the right decision."

"I'm not cut out for Torchwood, mum. I never liked them that much to begin with and I won't work for an organization that goes after innocent aliens and robs them of their lives and technology. I feel like I was born to travel with the Doctor and I'm not going to sit behind a desk when I can do some real good in this world."

"Again, that's your decision but I won't uproot my family to travel with him or tear Tony away from his father. I just wish you all the best, love," Jackie said.

Rose gave her a hug and hugged and kissed Tony. While she was doing that, Jackie walked over to the Doctor.

"You better keep her safe," Jackie said, jabbing her finger in his face.

"I will because I know if I don't you'll find a way to cross the void and beat the hell outta me," the Doctor said.

"You better believe it," Jackie said before turning to Jonathon. "And you…you do the same and love my daughter. Lord knows, she needs it."

"I love her more than life itself so rest assured, I will do everything in my power to keep her safe."

Jackie nodded and touched his cheek.

"You aren't a bad person, Jonathon. I know my husband treated you badly but I can see his reasoning as well as yours. I hope you take care of yourself and I wish you all the best."

Jonathon smiled when she embraced him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Jackie, Tony and Rose went over to the ramp so they could have some time alone to say their goodbyes. While they were doing that, the Doctor and Jonathon headed towards the med bay so they could check on Suzanne.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty Four

The Doctor peeked into the med bay and smiled when he saw Suzanne lying in the bed staring up at the ceiling. He motioned to Jonathon and Suzanne looked over and smiled when they came into the room.

"Feeling better?" the Doctor asked her.

"Loads. I don't know what you put in my veins but I've felt better than I have in a few years," she said.

The Doctor asked the TARDIS to run a scan on her while Jonathon knelt down beside Suzanne and held her hand. The laser beam fanned out over her body and scanned down it. He then walked to the monitor and read the findings while Jonathon squeezed her hand.

"Have you given any thought about going with us?" he asked her.

"Yes and I appreciate the offer but I have friends and family here and I don't want to leave them. Not that I don't care about you but there's too much here for me. But you go with the Doctor, you don't belong here," she said, patting his hand.

"I'll miss you," Jonathon said, trying not to become emotional.

Suzanne smiled at that. She sat up and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"You're one of the best friends I've ever had," she said, giving his hair an affectionate ruffle. "After all, you're the only friend I've ever had that cured my cancer so I have to like you just for that. And hey, now you have your pizza making skills to help you when you fly around conquering evil."

Johnathon laughed.

"Combating evil, one pizza at a time," he said while Suzanne giggled.

Suzanne smiled at the Doctor.

"And you…I also owe you my thanks. It's weird though, you're almost a stranger and yet, you're not a stranger since he's you. It's surreal. But I will be eternally grateful to you."

"It was my pleasure," the Doctor said with a small bow. "And might I give you the same advice you gave Jonathon? Get out of the pizza shop, you're meant for better things than that."

"Well, I would but I need to find another job first," Suzanne said. "Unlike you, I don't travel around in my house."

"I believe I might be able to help with that, at least until you can find something better. Be back in a mo," he said to her.

They watched while he hurried out of the room.

"Any ideas what he's going to do?" Suzanne said to Jonathon.

"Well, apart from guessing that he's going to give you a source of income, I have no clue," he said.

The Doctor returned several minutes later with two small, red velvet bags. He handed them to Suzanne and she pulled the top open and looked in. Her eyes bulged out of her head when she pulled out a gold nugget the size of a golf ball.

"Is this what I think it is?" she said to the Doctor.

"If you're thinking it's pure gold, yes," the Doctor said. "Gold nuggets in both bags, all authentic and worth a lot, I imagine. Got them from a California miner in 1849er and I'd like you to have them. That way you can have something to live on while you search for a better job."

Suzanne dropped the bags on the bed and held open her arms. The Doctor chuckled as he leaned forward and embraced her. The Doctor gave her a peck on the cheek before he leaned back up. He pulled up a couple of chairs and both men sat down and chatted with her for a bit, mainly about her past since the Doctor wanted to know more about his new friend. While they were doing that, Rose entered with Boots in her hands.

"Mum and Tony left," she said to them. "I nearly had to get Boots out of Tony's hands with a prybar, he was determined to hang on to him."

The Doctor took Boots from her and sat her on the bed. Suzanne laughed and played with her while Rose pulled up a chair beside Jonathon. The Doctor told her about Suzanne's decision and Rose gave her friend a hug and wished her well.

"Thank you," Suzanne said when they finished hugging. "I don't know you as well as Jonathon but I'm glad I met you and I'm glad you're getting away from Torchwood. From what I heard, I'd be running away screaming in terror from it."

"See, she's a very perceptive girl," the Doctor said. "Doesn't know that much about Torchwood and she still knows enough to stay away from it. She'll go far in life."

Once Suzanne was well enough, the Doctor had the TARDIS risk one more move and they went to Jonathon's flat so he could gather up the belongings he wanted before leaving. Before he started, he took a look around at his soon to be former home. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Suzanne standing behind him.

"Now, don't tell me you're getting sentimental about this old dump," she said.

"Hey, I have several nice memories of this place." He said.

"Yeah, well you'll have tons of nice memories traveling through time and space so stop being so emo and get your crap in the TARDIS."

She giggled when Jonathon feigned anger and gave him a playful shove. Jonathon chuckled and gave her a hug.

"Come on, Space Boy, I'll help you pack," she said when they finished hugging.

(One day later…)

_Blimey, I haven't written in this thing in ages. Guess I've been so busy, I haven't had time to journal but maybe I should start again now that I'm on the road, so to speak. We managed to cross the void successfully although the TARDIS had to strain to get across. Then after we got back to our original universe, we took her to the rift in Cardiff to get a bit of a top up, poor thing. Rose spoke to Jackie before we left and she agreed to talk to my landlord about my flat so he knows I'm gone and he can let it out again. She also gave Suzanne her car since she no longer needs it. I'll miss my friend and everyone at the pizza shop but I'll always treasure my time with them. I hope Suzanne uses the gold and her newly restored health to make a better life for herself. As for me, I'm happy that the Doctor and I are no longer enemies and I've been accepted as one of his companions. Feels odd being a clone of the Doctor and being his companion but I'll accept it just to have the opportunity to travel with him and Rose. And Rose and I want to get married as soon as we can find the time which might be eons from now unless we make the time since who knows where we're off to now that we're time travelers again. I…_

"Jonathon," Rose said, interrupting him as she came into the kitchen along with the Doctor. "Look what this wanker's done to your cat."

The Doctor snickered as Rose put Boots down on the table in front of his journal. Jonathon's eyes bulged when he saw the tiny copy of the Doctor's brown suit on his cat.

"Where did you find something like this?" Jonathon said, pointing to the suit while Boots walked around on top of his journal.

"TARDIS made it for me, she was listening in and you know how the old girl loves a laugh," the Doctor said.

"She looks uncomfortable in it," Jonathon said while Boots mewed at him.

"Nonsense, she's mewing out that she loves it," the Doctor said.

"Somehow, I doubt it," Rose said, shaking her head while she picked Boots up. "Poor puss, you are at the mercy of this madman."

"I beg your pardon," the Doctor said while Jonathon laughed.

"Come on, Boots, let's get you out of this thing so your humiliation can end," Rose said, holding her to her chest while she walked out of the room.

"There is nothing humiliating about that suit. I wear it every day!" the Doctor yelled after her.

"I don't think she cares," Jonathon said to him.

"Ah well, it's a man's suit anyway, Boot's probably would like a nice dress or maybe a tutu with some little kitty ballet slippers," the Doctor said.

Jonathon gave him a long, hard stare.

"You know, it's hard to believe I came from you because there are times when you have thoughts I would never have in my whole life," he said.

"Well, that's cause you have the Donna Disease and your wit got dampened," the Doctor said, patting him on the back. "Anyway, I'm thinking Chinese food tonight in Beijing? Sound good?"

"Sounds wonderful," Jonathon said.

"Molto bene, I'll set the coordinates after awhile. For the moment though, I need a bit of a lie down so I'll leave you to your…diary. Oh, you also write in one?"

"Yeah, I started when I needed to sort out my thoughts about my life. It helps me."

"Then keep on doing it. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be in my room."

Jonathon nodded. He watched the Doctor leave the kitchen and when he was gone, he closed his journal and got up from the chair to make himself a cup of tea.

THE END.


End file.
